Lanterns light up Night at the Museum launch

With colorful lanterns in various shapes of creatures, from both the ocean and land, illuminating the square of the National Natural History Museum of China in Beijing as night fell on Aug 1, the monthlong program, Night at the Museum, was launched.

"Through the lantern-making tradition from Zigong, Sichuan province, we try to use the artistic form to present a wonderful world about natural evolution, which is a highlight of this year's event," Wang Shiwen, deputy Party secretary of the museum, said at the opening ceremony.

From 6 pm to 9 pm this month, the museum team will organize a series of activities, including lectures, movies, a sleepover event and Stegosaurus Warriors — Special Exhibition on Jurassic Dinosaurs From Zigong.

At the exhibition organized by the natural museum and the Zigong Dinosaur Museum in Sichuan, about 60 examples of precious fossils are on display, including the sauropod bony tail hammer — the first of its type discovered in the world. Also on display is the Sichuan Giganotosaurus skin fossil — the first stegosaur skin fossil discovered. Both are in the collection at the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, evaluated as "the best dinosaur museum in the world" by the US National Geographic. The exhibition will run until Sept 11.

"For the whole of August, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy diversified cultural life at the natural museum," Wang says. It is estimated that the event will attract more than 50,000 visitors this month.

Besides various activities, according to Wang, the Night at the Museum evenings can create opportunities for researchers to interact face-to-face with the public without interrupting their busy daytime schedule.

Lectures will be livestreamed online.

At the halls and galleries of the museum, researchers will become guides, helping visitors capture and appreciate the majesty of nature. In the recently renovated hall, named Animals: The Friends of Humankind, Gao Yuan, a top guide, has prepared giant panda feces, cub models and hand bone models so that visitors get to know the giant pandas better.

As a star event of the Night at the Museum program, a nightly adventure from 6:30 pm to 8 am the following morning every Friday and Saturday this month is being offered to children between the ages of 6 and 12 accompanied by their families. The ticket for the event costs 1,098 yuan ($154) for a child and an adult.

Themed on Africa, the cradle of humanity and a paradise for wildlife, the sleepover includes a concert with children dressed in costumes experiencing the charm of that continent's music and culture and exploring the large-scale seasonal migrations of grazing herbivores in the savannas.

Besides the natural museum, many museums across the country have offered after-hour activities and events this summer after the National Cultural Heritage Administration issued a notice on improving museum services early last month.

The hashtag "night at museum" has gone viral on micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo with about 20.62 million views. In Shanghai, there are 45 museums extending their visit hours and hosting various activities, including special exhibitions, engaging events and creative workshops.

"Extending museum hours increases the flexibility of visiting times, providing visitors with more time slots to choose from. This allows them to more fully appreciate the exhibits. Some museums also offer various evening activities during extended hours, providing visitors with a richer visiting experience," says Xiong Haifeng, professor from the School of Cultural Industries Management under the Communication University of China in Beijing.

China opened 268 new museums across the country in the past year, creating a total of 6,833 registered museums nationwide, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration.