Symbol of an 'ideal society'

On the eve of the centenary celebration of the National Museum of China, reporter Zhu Linyong looks back on its history.

The National Museum of China will celebrate its 100th birthday on Monday. From China's first public museum to one of the world's largest, the museum has witnessed the country's ups and downs over the past century. "We're trying our best to put it among the world's best museums," says Lu Zhangshen, the museum's director. Covering an area of 200,000 square meters, the museum has more than 1.2 million cultural relics and artworks in its permanent collection.

From 2007 to 2010, the museum underwent extensive renovations and expansion at a cost of 2.5 billion yuan ($394 million).