Dull, dusty exhibits? Not here

Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, plays host to celebrations during Spring Festival, including a lantern show, parades of Egyptian culture and performances by local opera troupes. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Although many businesses were closed during Spring Festival, the Jinsha museum stayed open and extended entry for all the indoor exhibition halls to 9 pm and for the outdoor park to 10 pm.

That's why the museum attracted tourists and natives alike during the holiday. The museum is a cozy place where visitors can easily get around and drinking water is free.

The Spring Festival events wrapped up on Feb 12. The museum has been offering a combination of holiday celebrations, including food, performances and flower displays, with a taste of cultural relics since 2009.

"The first festival was planned to cheer up the city when it was still immersed with the sorrow of the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008," says Qin Qing, from the museum's publicity office.

Qin says this year the festival attracted 700,000 visitors, 10 percent more than last year.

"We also want to change the rigid public image of museums and bring people closer to their own cultural heritage as well as world wonders," Qin says. "The staff members used to focus only on studies and academics. Now after nine years of practice, they can design and supervise the building of large-scale lantern compositions."

An ongoing exhibition Ancient Egypt: Worlds of Pharaohs and Gods will continue through May 4.

"Our exhibitions have featured world civilizations since 2014. We found that it enriches presentations and at the same time enhances international cooperation," Qin says.

More than 150 sets of ancient Egyptian relics from Canada's Royal Ontario Museum are on show, including mummy coffins and Cleopatra's bust.