Palace Museum lightens up its staid old image

Editor's note: The Palace Museum organized its first light show on Tuesday evening to celebrate the Lantern Festival. Beijing News comments:

On Tuesday, for the first time, people were able to visit the Forbidden City at night. Three thousand lucky ticket holders were treated to a spectacular light show that illuminated what was China's imperial palace from 1420 to 1911. The show was also broadcast online attracting tens of millions viewers.

The Palace Museum, home to 1.86 million cultural relics, is the largest of its kind in China. But the national treasure trove, like many other iron-bowl public institutes, has long been seen as rather hidebound.