Shaanxi History Museum (SHM) Qin-Han Civilization Museum. Photo: Snapshot from Sina Weibo

Many people in China, beyond the traditional practice of honoring the ancestors, are planning to use the upcoming Qingming Festival holiday as an opportunity for leisure travel. In response to growing visitor demand, multiple museums have canceled closure days, extended their hours, and introduced special activities to enrich the holiday experience.

The Shaanxi History Museum, a highly sought-after museum in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has announced a series of measures to expand public access starting from Tuesday to October 31. These include canceling its regular closure days and increasing daily visitor quotas. 

The museum's main hall and its subsidiary Qin Han Museum will remain open throughout the period. Additionally, closing hours for both locations will be extended to 7 pm. Daily reservation slots for the main hall will rise from 12,000 to 14,000, while the Qin Han Museum will maintain its current cap of 20,000 visitors per day. 

Lu Zhiyong, deputy director of the Shaanxi History Museum, explained that regular closure days allow it to conduct work that cannot be done during normal operating hours, such as artifact preservation, equipment maintenance, and exhibit updates. 

"We aim to enhance our service capacity by eliminating closure days and extending operating hours," Lu said. "This requires adjustments in artifact monitoring and preservation, work schedules, and staff management, with some employees completing their tasks after closing hours." 

The Shaanxi History Museum houses more than 1.7 million artifacts, with notable collections of bronzewares from the Shang (c.1600BC-1046BC) and Zhou (1046BC-256BC) dynasties, Han (206BC-AD220) and Tang (618-907) Dynasty gold and silver artifacts, and distinctive mural paintings from Tang Dynasty tombs, as well as pottery figurines from various dynasties. In 2024, the museum received more than 3.36 million visitors. 

Other museums are also modifying their schedules to meet increased demand during the ­Qingming holiday. From Friday to Sunday, the Yangzhou Museum in East China's Jiangsu Province announced it will extend its daily opening hours to 6 pm, one hour later than usual.

The Nanjing Museum and the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou will extend its closing time by four hours from Thursday to Saturday. Similarly, the Suzhou Museum and its West Pavilion will remain open until 8 pm, adding three extra hours to their usual schedule.

"These measures, including canceling closure days and extending opening hours, are expected to help distribute visitor flow during the holiday and enhance holiday experiences," Cui Bo, a researcher specializing in cultural heritage and museum studies, told the Global Times.

According to Cui, for many visitors, especially families, holidays offer an excellent opportunity to spend extended time at exhibitions. 

"It's a great way to relieve stress, encourage parent-child interaction, and foster social gatherings in a cultural setting," he told the Global Times.

"These efforts also show museums' dedication to serving the public and making culture more accessible to everyone," he remarked.

Beyond extended hours, some museums are introducing unique holiday activities. The Jingdezhen China Ceramics Museum, known for its rich collection of porcelain artifacts, has announced several special events for the Qingming holiday, Gao Lulu, the representative of the publicity department of the museum, told the Global Times.

For example, during the holiday, visitors who recite the full text of the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi's renowned poem Song of a Pipa Player during designated times will be granted entry without a reservation. Gao said that the poem mentions a spot in modern Jingdezhen that fits the museum perfectly.

Additionally, on Friday when the 2025 Qingming Festival falls, the museum will offer 30 visitors the opportunity to experience the intangible cultural heritage of lacquer dyeing. Participants will use lacquer and water to decorate traditional folding fans, an interactive event designed to immerse guests in China's artistic heritage.

"From canceling closure days to hosting dedicated events, these initiatives are direct responses to the increasing enthusiasm for museums," Cui noted.

China has seen a significant rise in museum visits in recent years. According to the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China, more than 1.4 billion museum visits were recorded nationwide in 2024. Several museums, including the Yinxu Museum and the Xi'an Beilin Museum, have already adopted year-round operations, eliminating regular closure days altogether.

"The growing enthusiasm for museum visits reflects a greater emphasis on traditional culture among the public," Cui said.