Reservation-free access boosts summer museum attendance

This past summer, museum visits in Shenzhen surged after several museums eliminated reservation requirements and extended opening hours.

According to data released by Shenzhen Museum, its four divisions recorded a total of 1.3 million visits during the two-month summer vacation, marking a remarkable increase of 90.6% year on year. The most popular division, the History and Folk Culture Division at the Civic Center, received 783,595 visits, an impressive increase of 115.2% compared with the previous summer.

On Thursdays and Fridays, the division attracted an average of about 12,000 visitors per day — 120% of its daily capacity limit. On weekends, this figure soared to around 25,000 daily visitors, reaching 250% of its daily limit. During peak hours, the venue recorded up to 4,000 visitors simultaneously, leading to long queues outside.

Visitors relax at Shenzhen Museum's History and Folk Culture Division during the summer. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Museum

Visitors queue outside Shenzhen Museum's History and Folk Culture Division.

The museum canceled its usual Monday closures during the summer, remaining open for 60 consecutive days with nearly 12 operating hours each day. Additional measures were implemented, including increasing staff for crowd management and sanitation, installing shades and cooling fans for waiting visitors, adding mobile restrooms, and deploying volunteers to maintain order, thereby promoting a civil and organized visitor experience.

Staff at Shenzhen Museum said that the heightened interest in museum visits has brought management challenges. Some visitors’ uncivil behaviors, such as littering, eating, and noisy activities, disrupted the intended quiet atmosphere of the museum. Overcrowding and disputes also posed safety risks, exacerbated by outdated equipment that frequently malfunctioned. 

A volunteer assists visitors queuing outside Shenzhen Museum.

Museum staff keeps the queue organized for visitors waiting in a shade outside Shenzhen Museum.

Du Juan, the museum's deputy director, attributed the surge in attendance this summer to various factors, including the public’s increasing enthusiasm for cultural experiences and historical insights. Visiting museums has become a new trend in recent years, with museums across the country now seen as vital destinations for cultural display and exchange. In addition, museums have also innovatively curated their exhibitions and enhanced their collections to attract visitors.

This summer, Shenzhen Museum curated 18 exhibitions covering various themes, including natural science, ancient art, history, folk culture, and Shenzhen’s reform and opening-up. The museum also organized 58 public activities, such as workshops and lectures, attracting over 2,700 participants.

Visitors admire exhibits at Shenzhen Museum.

Visitors listen to a guide at Shenzhen Museum.

Huang Chen, director of Shenzhen Museum, acknowledged the challenges posed by the rising visitor numbers, particularly due to space limitations and aging facilities that struggled to accommodate such high attendance. He noted that while many visitors sought to appreciate the deeper meanings of the exhibits, the noise level and the cancelation of guided services hindered their experience. He emphasized the importance of adhering to museum rules and respecting fellow visitors, stating, "Behind the museum craze, we should also reflect on how to enhance our services."

 Visitors participate in a workshop at Shenzhen Museum.

Free shuttle buses are provided for visitors to various cultural venues in Shenzhen during the summer.

Museums across China reported similar trends, with heightened enthusiasm among tourists this summer following the elimination of reservations and extended hours. Statistics indicate that domestic museum visits saw double-digit growth in this summer compared with the same period last year. Museum ticket bookings have also risen to become the top choice among all tourist attractions, with searches for the keyword "museums" on travel booking platforms increasing by 61% in July compared with the previous month.