For most people, wetland areas are not just havens of tranquillity, but also serve as platforms to learn about biodiversity and local ecosystems. In this case, a museum devoted to the care, study and display of wetland elements would be a great help.

The National Wetland Museum of China, located in the southeast of the Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, is the country's first wetland-themed museum.

Founded in 2009, over the past decade it has become a professional institution with a comprehensive collection of exhibits related to wetland ecosystems.

The museum was designed by Japanese architect and winner of the 2019 Pritzker Architecture Prize, Arata Isozaki, who is quite familiar with both Eastern and Western cultures. It is built on a green hill in the Xixi Wetland Park, along with a 30-meter-high observation tower, which allows tourists to overlook the whole of the park.

Inside the museum, more than 360 exhibits are set out with a four-story 7,800-square-meter exhibition space.

From the basement to the third floor, it is divided into four main halls, showcasing the museum preface, wetlands and humans, China's wetlands and Xixi wetland, respectively.

The plant, insect and animal specimens on display, and the verdant natural interior landscapes throughout the museum present the anatomy of wetland areas, what threats they are facing and what measures are being taken, both globally and domestically, to protect wetlands in a systematic way.

There are not only static exhibits, but also audio and video installations, as well as other dynamic displays.

The museum has also dedicated a hall to highlight the natural scenery, countryside lifestyle and folk customs of the Xixi Wetland from the past to the present day, as well as the efforts to protect and develop the wetland.

In recent years, the museum has been working on the extension of its functions. Besides being an exhibition space and repository for wetland knowledge, it has developed into a base for research and education.