Ancient Culture Street is a pedestrianised strip on the west bank of the Hai River, built in the 1980s to evoke a Qing-dynasty commercial street. It's openly touristy — all traditional-style rooflines and souvenir shops — but the quality of the crafts is genuinely good. The street is lined with shops selling Yangliuqing New Year woodblock prints (a Tianjin specialty), painted clay figurines (niǔ rén Zhāng), shadow puppets, calligraphy supplies, and antique-style furniture.
The main anchor is the Tianhou Temple (Tiānhòu Gōng), dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu and dating from 1326. The temple complex is still an active place of worship and is particularly atmospheric during festivals. Weekdays the street is manageable; weekends it fills with Chinese tourists and school groups but never feels unpleasant.