The Fujian Museum in East China's ­Fujian Province will be the country's main venue for International Museum Day from May 17 to 19, the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) announced at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

On May 18, International Museum Day, the museum will launch an exhibition about the Maritime Silk Road to mark the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Additionally, the results of the annual "Top 10 Exhibition Highlights of National Museums" will be announced that day, the conference noted.

Fu Qisheng, director of the Fujian Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, told the Global Times that the Fujian Museum will host the first-ever Armenian cultural relics exhibition in China. The event will exhibit ethnic clothing, carpets, world heritage relics and tea culture artifacts.

Meanwhile, an exhibition on Dehua porcelain is also set for the period.

Dehua porcelain is a type of white Chinese porcelain known as "China White." It was made at the famous ­Dehua kiln. Starting from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Dehua white porcelain was exported along the Silk Road to Japan, Europe and other countries, earning it a high reputation in the history of Chinese handicrafts. 

In 2021, Dehua kilns were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with many other sites near Quanzhou for their importance in ancient maritime trade and the exchange of cultures and ideas around the world.

Under the theme of "Museums, Sustainability and Well-being," the event at the museum will showcase the latest achievements in China's museum development, as well as the remarkable contributions that museums have made to the country's overall economic and social development.

Gu Yucai, deputy director of the NCHA, said that the results of the ­national first-level museum operation evaluation will be announced at the event. The evaluation aimed to improve the quality of museum management. Meanwhile, related forums will discuss how to best conserve energy and reduce emissions at museums.

Apart from the activities at the main venue, other institutions throughout China will also hold thousands of diverse and content-rich events, following the unified arrangement of the NCHA. The events aim to build a platform for communication between museums and the public. Additionally, local museums will organize online and offline activities such as exhibitions, cultural lectures, antiquities appraisals, release of cultural and creative products, livestreaming, and cultural knowledge competitions.

China officially joined the International Council of Museums in 1983, and has organized a main venue activity for International Museum Day in China since 2009.