--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: China’s museums grab the spotlight on world stage image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte0fa906c4f751280/6a4b523967a943ff777a6e88/C61C71B7EEDE43CF85D0F42DB22FB013.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # China’s museums grab the spotlight on world stage  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ Visitors at the exhibition _On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilisation of Ancient Egypt_ in Shanghai Museum in August. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY By WANG RU The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum’s _On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt_ exhibition came as no surprise to observers of China’s growing fascination with museum visits. After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on August 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated. While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public. China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year. “During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public’s demand for museums has become increasingly evident,” said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. “Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and ‘check in’ has become a common phenomenon.” He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society. Over the past five years — to better promote the development of museums — China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan. This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements. Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums. The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China’s first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors. Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into “a city of museums,” hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people’s aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan. The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China. Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work. Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao. In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components. Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the “Archaeology China” program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas. For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings. The so-called No. 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No. 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period. Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China’s development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century B.C.), Shang (c.16th century-11th century B.C.) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 B.C.) dynasties, Rao said. The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China’s archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology. DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization. “The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries,” said Jia. Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding. 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