Workers have begun moving 620,000 cultural items out from the National Museum of China in Beijing as a major
expansion project scheduled to begin next April looms large.
"The items will be moved in batches around-the-clock to two
temporary storehouses under police protection," said Deputy Curator
Ma Yingming.
The removal work will take about two months, according to
Ma.
The museum, near downtown Tian'anmen Square, will be renovated
and enlarged starting next April at a cost of 2.6 billion yuan
(US$330 million).
At present, it stands 313 meters long and 149 meters wide, with
a total floor space of 69,000 square meters.
"The museum will expand 100 meters eastwards and its floor space
will near triple to 192,000 square meters - the largest museum in
the world once the project is completed in 2010," said Curator Lu
Zhangshen.
The museum's special treasures display and Waxworks Hall are now
closed, but other exhibitions will be held as planned until Spring
Festival on Feb. 18 next year, according to Lu.
Temporary exhibitions will help compensate for entry losses
during the expansion period, according to Lu.
Created from the National Museum of Chinese History and the
National Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the National Museum of
China was inaugurated on February 28, 2003.
(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2006)