In a significant departure from the international norm of museums being closed on Mondays, Hangzhou, located in East China’s Zhejiang Province, has taken a pioneering step. The Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Cultural Heritage recently announced adjustments to the opening hours of its 52 municipal state-owned museums. This move comes in response to the growing enthusiasm for museums in the city, a phenomenon referred to as “museum fever.”
The decision to modify the opening hours was disclosed via the official WeChat account of the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Cultural Heritage. This initiative, which started on July 31, aims to cater to the increasing demand for museum visits by local residents and tourists alike.
The idea of extending opening hours at key venues and popular museums was emphasized in a notice issued by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on July 14. Hangzhou’s approach to categorizing museums was based on factors such as visitor surveys, financial requirements, venue size, and the number of cultural relics.
Among the 52 municipal state-owned museums, three categories have been established: museums that remain open every day, museums that close on Tuesdays, and museums that maintain the traditional closure on Mondays.
For instance, Hangzhou Museum and Hangzhou Arts and Crafts Museum, along with 15 other museums, now close on Tuesdays. On the other hand, Yue Fei Memorial Museum, The 1911 Revolution Museum, and several others now open daily. The rest of the museums, including municipal state-owned ones, still adhere to the tradition of being closed on Mondays.
The move comes at a time when there has been a noticeable resurgence of interest in Chinese culture, leading to an increase in public and tourist attendance at museums. Chen Jiaoyan, a representative from the department of Communication and Education at Hangzhou Museum, highlighted that the adjustment to the opening hours was made to meet the growing demand for history and cultural relics. The aim is to ensure that people have the opportunity to visit museums every day.
While the policy change might take some time for the public and tourists to adapt to, the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau is attentive to feedback during this trial period. As the museums welcomed visitors on the first day of the adjusted hours, the flow of tourists surpassed expectations, with over 4,000 visitors recorded by noon.
Hangzhou Museum, renowned for its collection of historical artifacts, showcases the city’s rich cultural heritage. It is not only a first-grade national museum but also serves as a vital venue for patriotic and popular education in Zhejiang Province.
Notably, one of the museum’s prized possessions is a crystal cup dating back to the Warring States period (475 BC-221 BC). This artifact, along with 63 other precious cultural relics, is of such significance that the National Cultural Heritage Administration prohibited their exhibition abroad in 2002.
In conclusion, Hangzhou’s decision to adjust museum opening hours reflects its commitment to accommodating the public’s growing interest in cultural history. While the shift from the tradition of “closed on Mondays” may encounter initial resistance, the city is determined to enhance public access to its cultural treasures.
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