| After a three-year renovation, an expanded National Museum of China will reopen to the public Tuesday, People's Daily reported.
The size of the new museum is more than three times its original size having gone from 65,000 square meters to nearly 200,000 square meters, making it the world's largest museum, the report said.
Located on the east side of Tian'anmen Square, the National Museum was closed for its expansion in March 2007.
The new museum has four floors above ground and two floors underground. It preserves the original architectural style of the former one and expands on the artistic beauty through the symmetrical design of the 330-meter-long art aisle and the major halls, the report said.
The halls on the first, second and third floors will be showrooms for State events and other grand exhibitions and activities. The fourth floor, which can occupy 500 people, is the place where catering services will be provided.
Separately, under the ground, there is an unattached 800-seat theater for "intangible culture" display; a nearly 300-seat academic lecture hall; and a 600 square-meter studio where audiences could appreciate the national treasures and exchange ideas with other guests.
A 30,000 square-meter relics depository, which could accommodate a maximum of 1.2 million pieces, is located in the basement where ancient potteries, bronzes, china, paintings, among other valuable items, are displayed. There are currently 1.05 million pieces in the storehouse.
The new museum also ranks top in terms of rooftop green coverage in Beijing, with a green area of 20,000 square meters.
"The new National Museum demonstrates both China's cultural development and modernization achievements," Lü Zhangshen, the curator of the museum, told a reporter.
Some 3,000 people are expected to visit the new national museum, which will have free admission Tuesday, China's National Radio reported.
Visitors could log on to the museum's official website via a cell phone to find ticket booking, a museum directory and introductions to collections. |
