 The National Museum of China was inaugurated on February 28th, 2003, directly under the Ministry of Culture of P.R. China. Formed on the basis of the National Museum of Chinese History and the National Museum of Chinese Revolution, the National Museum of China is a comprehensive museum focusing on history and arts, systematically showing the long history of China.
The origin of the National Museum of Chinese History is the Preliminary Office of National History Museum set up on July 9th, 1912. As the People's Republic of China was founded on the October 1st, 1949, the Preliminary Office was renamed as the BeijingNationalHistoryMuseumunder the Ministry of Culture of the Central Government. Later on it was entitled as the National Museum of Chinese History in 1959.
The National Museum of Chinese Revolution grew out of the Preliminary Office of National Museum of Revolution set up on March 1950. In 1960, it was entitled as National Museum of Chinese Revolution.
In August 1959, the construction of the main building for the two museums was completed, to the east side of Tiananmen Square. On the October 1st of the same year, they opened to the public, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
The old building of the National Museum of China will go through renovation and enlargement from the year 2007 to 2009, expanding the floor space from 65,000? at present to 192,000?. At that time, the NationalMuseum will be equipped with a new set of modernized museum facilities. With proper qualified staffs, the museum's collection, exhibitions, and equipments will be upgraded to a comparable high level correspond with its status. The National Museum of China will be constructed to a world-leading museum comparable with the time-honored civilization of China.
With the task of archaeological excavation, collection, research and exhibition, the National Museum of China systematically and comprehensively collect treasured antiquities of China which reflecting the Chinese history of ancient time, contemporary and modern times. Through the permanent exhibitions and special exhibitions, the National Museum of China presents and publicizes the spectacular history and magnificent culture of China, and introduces the brilliant world civilizations to the visitors at home and abroad. The museum also pays importance to study and research onto history, archaeology, antiquities, museology, so as to enrich and deepen people's knowledge and understanding of history and culture, and to improve the development of Chinese museums. The NationalMuseum will become an important public venue in the center of Capital Beijing for cultural recreation and enjoyment.
Basic Functions
The basic functions of the National Museum of China are as follows:
- Safekeeping, management and scientific conservation of collections The collection is the essential element of a museum. The National Museum of China has a collection of 610,000 pieces now, with a professional team and first-class equipments on the antique conservation and reparation.
- Exhibitions Through various exhibitions, including permanent exhibitions, special exhibitionsm, temporary exhibitions, regular international exchange exhibitions, patrons galleries, the National Museum of China carries the significance of its function in presenting the time-honored Chinese history, publicizing brilliant ethnic traditions, and reflecting the main stream contemporary culture. At the same time, it takes the task of promoting the cultural exchange between China and outside world, improving the mutual understanding, and display common cultural heritage of human beings.
- Education and Information Service The National Museum of China will try its best to provide visitors with more convenient services. Apply hi-tech equipments to exhibitions, especially combined with practical multimedia methods, to attract visitors' participance and diversify the display style. Meanwhile, create elegant and enjoyable circumstances; provide the public with spiritual cultural enjoyment from various perspectives and by various means.
- Academic Research The National Museum of China has a strong professional team. As a state level academic institute, the National Museum of China will frequently organize various international and national academic seminars, engage and welcome visiting scholars from home and abroad to conduct joint research or exchange research.
- Field Archaeological Research Center In recent year, the field archaeological team has worked on many large-scale excavations, including the one of the City Sites of Shang Dynasty at Yuanqu, Shanxi Province, the comprehensive multi-subject archaeological excavation and study of the Yingchiban Village Site in Henan Province, and the large-scale investigative excavation of the Taoist Sites of Han Dynasty at Kongwangshan, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province.
- Underwater Archaeological Research CenterThe museum has the only professional underwater archaeology institute in China. After over ten-year continuous efforts, it has built a professional team of underwater archaeology research with advanced equipments. In the four sea areas around China, i.e. Bo Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, it's conducted several investigations and excavations of sinking-boat site and other antiques under the sea. The Underwater Archaeological Training Base has been set up at HailingIsland, Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province in September 2003.
- Remote Sensing and Aero-photographic Archaeological Research Center By dint of remote sensing and aero-photographing, the Center has taken the archaeological survey on the Old City of Han and Wei Dynasties in Luoyang, and the ancient tomb group at Qishan, as well as the ancient city ruins at Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.
- Cultural Exchanges The museum is active to set up and strengthen the international cooperation and exchange with foreign counterparts. It sends and invites high quality antique exhibitions. From the first overseas exhibition of the Chinese treasures in England in 1936, we send several exhibitions on the ancient China abroad each year.
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