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In a momentous step, the Beijing Museum of Natural History, renowned for its vast collection, has ascended from a city-level institution to the National Natural History Museum of China (NNHMC). Spanning a massive area of 230,000 square meters, the museum is primed to exhibit and celebrate China’s abundant natural history resources. Accompanying this name change, the museum is also branching out, widening its responsibilities and missions.
Originally founded in 1951 by the National Central Museum of Natural History’s preparation department, the museum was renamed the Beijing Museum of Natural History in 1962. Today, as China’s solitary national-level public institution devoted to natural history, the NNHMC is poised to be a cultural landmark along the southern section of Beijing’s Central Axis, according to Meng Qingjin, the museum’s director.
Hosting over 370,000 treasures spanning zoology, paleontology, marine life, and Chinese medicinal herbs, the NNHMC exemplifies China’s natural history. Additionally, the museum holds the title of a National Youth Science and Technology Education Base.
Meng underscored the unique nature of a museum dedicated to natural history, dubbing it a “condensed container of time and space,” where the bounty of nature and the vast history of biological evolution find their roots. Following 70 years of history, the upgrade from Beijing Museum of Natural History to NNHMC aligns with China’s commitment to ecological civilization.
The new direction of the NNHMC was influenced by the visions of several generations of Chinese natural history experts. To address global issues like environmental pollution and ecosystem degradation, Meng highlighted the need for a distinctive natural history museum akin to those in the UK, the US, and France. The modern natural history museum’s role, he stressed, goes beyond disseminating natural science knowledge; it should guide people to understand, respect, and protect nature.
Meng emphasized that the NNHMC’s future would focus on boosting research, enlarging its collection, and improving public services, all part of the significant shift symbolized by its name change. However, its 70-year history of engaging with the public will not be overshadowed by the new title and forward-thinking plans.
The museum has long been more than a repository of knowledge; for many, it has been a “playground” and the site of their first encounter with science. It’s a tradition that has spanned generations, igniting a love for science and technology.
In keeping with the changing times, the museum’s official website features a “cultural and creative” channel promoting natural history-related merchandise, environmental handicrafts, and popular science magazines. Additionally, it plans to enhance its digital presence, employing 5G and artificial intelligence to create a “smart museum.”
In the future, the “smart museum” will also foster cultural exchanges, promoting international academic conferences and exchange activities. “The natural museum will open its doors and share its resources to its maximum in the new era, integrating itself with science, history, culture, and art,” the director concluded.
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