Palace Museum's free entry to minors welcome

The Palace Museum has issued a notice saying juveniles will be given free entry to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Prior to the notice on Monday, entry was free for children below 6 or under 120 centimeters in height and all primary and secondary school students could visit free by appointment on Tuesdays.

The new provision is in line with the Law on the Protection of Minors, which states that juveniles should have free entry to, or be given discounted tickets for, cultural centers such as museums, art exhibitions and libraries.

Besides, the Palace Museum has not restricted entry for minors anywhere. Even two small palaces housing jewels and clocks and other rare collections will be open to juveniles.

By allowing free entry to all juveniles, the Palace Museum has set a good precedent for the other museums in the country.

With a history of more than 600 years and the richest collection of artifacts in China, the Palace Museum had enough reason to refuse free entry to minors. Its move to open its doors to minors might now prompt other museums to do the same.

The move comes at the right time, given that more people have been visiting museums over the past several decades, to find answers to questions such as who we are and where we come from. In fact, visiting museums has suddenly become so popular that it can be difficult to book tickets online.

By allowing free entry to juveniles, the Palace Museum will help children improve their knowledge of history, as well as cultivate a kind of cultural confidence in them.

Of course, this is only the first step. In order to boost people's understanding of the history of the nation, it is necessary for museums to arrange for more audio guides so that knowledge about the nation's history can be more easily shared with the young.