An interactive giant panda-themed museum, the first of its kind in the world, opened to the public on Wednesday in Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province, which is also known as the "Home of the Giant Pandas."

Spanning some 7,000 square meters, the Chengdu Giant Panda Museum offers an immersive and educational experience to visitors of all ages within its seven exhibit sections.

Surrounded by huge walls of touch-sensitive screens and meticulously-designed settings, it shares various facts about the precious species from history to habitat to diet. Information about efforts to preserve the pandas is also on display, which visitors can access by tapping on the screens and following the guidance of an animated panda. Scenarios reproducing the pre-historic environment where giant pandas first emerged are also a highlight of the exhibition.

The museum was built by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding – a conservation facility that is also a top destination for panda lovers. The base aims to increase public understanding of giant pandas and other wild animals, and enhance awareness of programs aimed at ecological and animal protection.

The museum opens between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. As part of the COVID-19 prevention measures, the daily visitor number is capped at a maximum of 450 people.