China's 7,046 registered museums attract 1.49b record visits in 2024

China's museum craze is still gaining momentum with 7,046 museums registered across the country—increased by 213 over the past year. About 91.46 percent of them are opened to the public for free, according to statistics released by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Sunday, coinciding with International Museum Day.

In the past year, more than 43,000 exhibitions and 511,000 educational activities in museums across the country have attracted 1.49 billion visits, a new record across the country, as Rao Quan, director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, revealed on the celebration of International Museum Day at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing.

International Museum Day was initiated by the International Council of Museums in 1977. Since China became a member of the council in 1983, it has been hosting events associated with International Museum Day annually. From 2009, China has chosen a major venue as the center of nationwide activities celebrating the day.

This year, the main national celebration was held at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, where highlighted exhibitions, forums and performances were held.

Numerous activities, including special exhibitions, lectures, the release of new cultural souvenirs, and voluntary services were also held across China to celebrate the day.