Museum's night program highlights dinosaurs and more

With exotic animal-shaped lanterns lighting up the square of the National Natural History Museum in Beijing, a monthlong program, "Night at the Museum," is beckoning curious visitors from across the country.

"Through the lantern-making tradition from Zigong, Sichuan Province, we try to present the public a wonderful world about natural evolution, which is a highlight of this year's event," the museum's senior official Wang Shiwen said at the opening ceremony Aug. 1.

A display at "Stegosaurus Warriors — Special Exhibition on Jurassic Dinosaurs From Zigong," at the National Natural History Museum in Beijing. File photo

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. this month, the museum organizes a series of activities, including lectures, movies, a sleepover event on the sidelines of "Stegosaurus Warriors — Special Exhibition on Jurassic Dinosaurs From Zigong."

Co-organized by the Zigong Dinosaur Museum in Sichuan, the exhibition displays some 60 samples of precious fossils, 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. The U.S. National Geographic has called the Zigong museum "the best dinosaur museum in the world" and the exhibition will run until Sept. 11. It is estimated that the event will draw more than 50,000 visitors this month during the summer vacation travel peak.

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. Besides, lectures will be livestreamed online to reach a larger audience.

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

A nightly adventure from 6:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following morning every Friday and Saturday is being offered to children between the ages of 6 and 12, accompanied by their families. The tickets, coming with a price tag of 1,098 yuan (US$154) for a child and an adult, sell quickly on the museum's website.

Themed on Africa, the cradle of humanity and a paradise for wildlife, the sleepover includes a concert with children dressed in costumes. They also get to experience the charm of Africa's music and culture and explore the seasonal migrations of grazing herbivores in the savannas.

Many other museums across the country have offered after-hour activities and events this summer after the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) issued a notice on improving museum services early last month.

The hashtag "night at museum" has gone viral on Sina Weibo with about 20.62 million views. In Shanghai, there are 45 museums extending their visit hours and hosting special exhibitions, engaging events and creative workshops for the public.

China opened 268 new museums across the country in the past year. There are a total of 6,833 registered museums nationwide, as per the NCHA. (SD-Agencies)