In recent years, the city has made good use of the industrial heritage sites left along the Grand Canal and constructed several museums there, including the Wuxi Silk Industry Museum, the Wuxi Folk Music Museum and an Olympics museum. There, tourists can glimpse the urban features of modern Wuxi city along the ancient canal.

Due to environmental changes and the development of modern transportation, the function of the Grand Canal to move people and goods has gradually diminished. And some of the canal's rivers have dried up and the water has been polluted.

But, to revive it, Yangzhou city along the canal built a permanent venue for the World Canal Cities Expo, and hosts the World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation headquarters.