Shanghai has begun preparations to build a world expo museum, the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee said Friday.

The announcement came days after the Shanghai World Expo closed on Oct. 31, attracting more than 73 million domestic and overseas visitors during a six-month period.

More than 200 expo participants have confirmed in written statements that they would donate about 4,000 exhibits to the museum.

The museum has sought to conserve the typical world expo exhibits while offering a platform to popularize world expo history and current developments, according to Zhu Yonglei, deputy director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

The bureau has initially chosen a location for the new museum and is now working with expo participants to donate the most valuable exhibits, Zhu said.

The museum is expected to open in 2012, he said.

Before the opening, Shanghai will hold a temporary 2010 world expo commemoration exhibition in 2011, Zhu added.