On Sunday morning, people were spotted queuing outside the Hubei Provincial Library, waiting to go inside.

It is the first day that the library will be open, after four months of closure, and it's not the only venue that's reopening to the public.

Cultural venues including libraries, museums and galleries reopened in Hubei Province on Sunday, as coronavirus containment measures ease in the once epicenter of the outbreak in China.

The public health emergency response was lowered to Level 3 on Saturday evening, marking a new phase for the hardest hit province in the country. 

Five cultural venues, including the Provincial Library of Hubei, Hubei Provincial Museum, Hubei Museum of Art, Hubei Mass Art Center and the Museum of Wuchang Uprising of 1911 Revolution (also known as the "1911 Museum"), were selected as part of the first batch of venues to reopen. The venues had remained closed for over four months.

Before the reopening, all five venues were thoroughly disinfected and all staff members received nucleic acid tests. Disease control experts were invited to evaluate the measures being taken for the reopening.

So far, the venues are only available for residents with online reservations, and a health QR code, temperature scans and face masks are all necessary before entering. For instance, Hubei Provincial Library only allows 1,000 visitors from Monday to Friday, and 2,000 visitors on weekends. 

Even so, it is a good start for local residents.

"I've been following the news of the library every day. Now I'm really glad that it finally opens, and I hope the city would get better day by day," a reader said outside the library.

Cover image: A reader is looking for books and magazines in Hubei Provincial Library on June 14, 2020. /CFP