A total of 272 artifacts from the British Museum, representing
the ancient civilizations around the world, have been on show as of
Saturday in the Capital
Museum of Beijing.
Chinese audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy the
collection without going abroad after the exhibit titled "Treasures
of the World's Cultures" opened on Saturday.
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The world's oldest tool from Africa, a 3,000-year-old mummy,
ancient Egyptian tablets, Greek busts and Roman sculptures, among
other treasures, are on show.
Nevertheless, no Chinese items collected by British Museum are
on display in the exhibition.
The intention of the British Museum is to bring the whole world
into one building, said Neil MacGregor, director of the British
Museum, at the opening ceremony, adding that the British Museum is
"not a museum of the whole world, but for the whole world."
Guo Xiaoling, curator of the Capital Museum, said, "We learn
about the outside world in order to understand ourselves
better."
"Chinese civilization is the only civilization, out of the
ancient civilizations that originated in approximately 4,000 to
2,000 BC, traveling in one continuous line. A nation with such
vitality will definitely have a beautiful future," Guo said.
Five lectures on world history have been arranged during the
exhibition. Neil MacGregor gave the first lecture, entitled "Around
the World in 20 Objects", after the opening ceremony.
The Treasures of the World's Cultures collection has been shown
in Japan and the Republic of Korea, alluring a total of 1.3 million
visitors during its four-city tour in Japan and 600,000 in
Seoul.
The British Museum is planning to hold more exhibitions in China
in the years ahead in conjunction with the Palace Museum and the
National Museum of China. It is also thinking of showing Chinese
treasures in Britain, according to Jane Portal, assistant keeper of
the British Museum.
(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2006)
