Renowned as the first modern comprehensive canal-themed museum in China, China Grand Canal Museum is located on the bank of the ancient Grand Canal, covering an area of about 80,000 square meters in Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.
Located in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, the Grand Canal Museum is the first modern comprehensive canal-themed museum in China. /CFP
The Grand Canal, well-known as the world's longest artificial canal, is a vast waterway system in the northeastern and central-eastern plains of China, running from Beijing in the north to east China's Zhejiang Province. The China Grand Canal Museum highlights the importance of the Grand Canal, especially the Yangzhou section, as well as the rich local history and culture of the area.
It has become a sensation since it first opened in 2021, featuring an abundance of relics, ancient books, installations, artistic decorations, and various exhibitions, providing a great opportunity for visitors to find out more about the Grand Canal and the city of Yangzhou.
Visitors enjoy an immersive exhibition at the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. /CFP
The museum has successfully adopted a series of cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D, VR, sound and light technology and other forms of multimedia to design exhibitions. These stunning exhibitions also combine modern design aesthetics with the splendid history and culture of the Grand Canal to depict ancient stories and present the wisdom and diligence of ancient Chinese people.
People visit a ship themed exhibition hall at the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. /CFP
Among these exhibitions, a 20-meter-long sand spaceship catches the spotlight. Visitors can go straight to the sand spaceship through a mysterious corridor, as if they have experienced time and space travel to go back to ancient times. The outer deck of the sand spaceship uses a 360-degree screen for three-dimensional reconstruction. The content on the screen mainly comes from the scenery and cultural features along the Grand Canal as portrayed in ancient paintings. The spaceship journey leads the tourists to cruise on both sides of the canal and enjoy a visual feast.
The museum is not only a canal-themed exhibition venue but also integrates cultural relic protection, scientific research exhibitions, social education programs and a range of other comprehensive facilities.