Construction of museums peaks in Beijing
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-05 08:30

Beijing has entered a new period of extensive construction of museums, the municipal bureau of cultural relics said Saturday in a report.

With the construction of the world-class Beijing Museum and China National Film Museum, the year of 2005 was a milestone for the development of museums in the Chinese capital, said the report.

In 2005, the Memorial Hall of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was also expanded to hold exhibitions marking the 60th anniversary of the victory of the war. The Palace Museum added two exhibition halls and celebrated its 80th anniversary.

Authorities have also approved the building of more museums in Beijing, the bureau said.

In near future, the All-China Women's Federation will build the China Women and Children's Museum while the Ministry of Public Security will build the China Police Museum, according to the report.

Beijing was in a period of extensive construction of museums in the 1950s with the building of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History. Since then, such extensive construction of museums was never seen until last year.

Beijing had 129 registered museums by 2005, topping the country in terms of quantity, quality and density.