Public collection of ancient classic books opens its door

Surrounded by shelves and shelves of books, it is hard to tell if you are in a library or museum when you step into the National Museum of Classic Books, which was just opened in Beijing.

The 11,549 square-meter exhibition space, established by the National Library of China, is the country's first public museum that focuses on ancient classic books. "Ancient classic books are historical accounts of China's civilization throughout thousands of years," said Han Yongjin, director of the NLC.

"The combination of museum and library is an inevitable trend. Characters from these ancient books have to be kept alive. Our readers will also get new experiences," he said.