Visitors step inside to find playful panda sculptures perched atop an enormous red chili, whimsical guardians of the fiery kingdom ahead.

The museum's ongoing show, the Bashu Traditional Seasoning History and Culture Exhibition, highlights the rich history of the region's five key tastes — saltiness, sourness, bitterness, sweetness, and spiciness in Sichuan province and Chongqing. Another show, the Modern Hotpot Culture Exhibition, offers a captivating glimpse of the evolution of hotpot flavors.

The story begins with salt, known as the root of all flavors, showcasing traditional production methods, along with the art of making soy sauce and pickles.

The spicy section unfolds like an aromatic atlas — ginger, evodia, scallions, and chives mingle with exotic spices introduced from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).