Chinese Capital Builds New Museum

Home>>Life

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 26, 2001

Chinese Capital Builds New Museum

The Chinese capital started Tuesday to build a new Capital Museum, one that will be the largest cultural building constructed in the city since 1949. The new museum, located at the western section of Chang'an Avenue, aims to become a landmark construction of Beijing in the 21st century. Covering some 60,000 square meters, the seven-story building will open to the public in early 2005 to replace the old one.

New Capital Museum Under Construction

Construction of the new Capital Museum began Tuesday in Beijing. It will purportedly be the largest cultural building constructed in the city since 1949.

Landmark Construction

On Baiyun Street, near the western point of Chang'an Avenue, the new museum aims to become a landmark construction in 21st-century Beijing.

Covering more than 60,000 square metres, the seven-storey building will open to the public in early 2005, said Han Yong, a leading official on the construction committee and would-be curator of the new museum.

Involving 780 million yuan (US$94 million), the building itself is expected to be finished by the end of 2003 and work on the interior will last another year, Han said.

Old Museum

The present Capital Museum opened in 1981 and found a temporary home in the Beijing Confucian Temple in Guozijian Street near the northern section of the Second Ring Road.

Due to its limited space and out-of-date equipment, the old Capital Museum is not a proper home for the more than 250,000 cultural exhibits on display and several more pieces in storage.

The old Capital Museum will be scrapped and the loaned place will be returned to the Confucian Temple.

Designing

The new museum will be armed with state-of-the-art technology and equipment. Its aim will be to become one of China's leading museums, said Cui Kai, project chief designer and vice-president of the China Architecture Design and Research Group.

Cui's group designed the museum alongside the French AREP Design Corporation.

The new museum is designed to have more than 10 exhibition halls, covering a total floor space of more than 30,000 square metres.

Liu Chaoying, director of the Museum Department with the Beijing Bureau of Cultural Relics, said the museum would be an important base for cultural research and education as well as a venue for leisure and tourism.

It is expected to receive 6,000 visitors a day, Liu said.

A 10,000-square-metre cultural square mixed with green space is also expected be built near the museum, she said.

Build More

At present Beijing has 118 museums, including some private ones. More museums are expected to be built in a few years to better protect and display relics from the ancient city's more than 3,000 years of history.

Beijing plans to increase the number of its museums to 150 by 2008, when the city will host the Olympics.

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is the impetus behind the construction, said Mei Ninghua, head of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics.

According to Mei, the new museums will feature contemporary life, scientific and technological progress, and Beijing's precious historical heritage, including the old style shops and houses.

While making good use of state investment, Beijing has also passed special legislation to encourage businesses and private individuals to make contributions to the new museums, Mei added.

By PD Online Staff Li Heng

Chinese National Capital to Build More Museums