Watermelon Museum of China (西瓜博物馆)

Spanning 22,000sqm, the Watermelon Musuem of China houses around 600 watermelon specimens and 900 illustrations - enough, surely, to make any fruit-and-vege fan drool. Visit if you want to learn about, well, watermelons. The museum has got it covered; from the history of the melons' first appearance in China to the technology required for growing and harvesting the fruit. As if that is not enough, there's also an extensive collection of Chinese poems and paintings dedicated to the juicy ovals.

The Daxing site includes two main exhibition halls, with the east hall focusing on the watermelon's role in the Middle Kingdom, and the west introducing a more worldwide perspective (including the fruit's medicinal uses and growth patterns around the world). Nothing is missed - the museum even provides a list of top professional watermelon farmers around the globe.

While the subject matter is one of the glories of the natural world, the man-made decor is surprisingly futuristic. And yes, the watermelon-motif can get tiring unless you are wierdly obsessed with the sweet green globes. Although all the descriptions are in Chinese, the abundant photos and illustrations make up for any lack of understanding. Sadly though, there's a distinctly thirst-inducing lack of any edible fruit.