China marked the 2026 International Museum Day on Monday, highlighting the rapid growth of the country's museum sector and its increasing role in promoting exchanges among civilizations.
According to statistics released by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, China has added more than 1,400 registered museums over the past five years, bringing the nationwide total to 7,188 by the end of 2025. More than 91 percent of these museums are open to the public free of charge.
Over the past year, museums across the country hosted more than 40,000 exhibitions and organized over 580,000 educational activities, attracting upwards of 1.56 billion visits. Major indicators reached record levels as museums continued to enhance public cultural services and broaden social engagement.
Chinese museums have also continued to deepen international cultural exchanges. In 2025, more than 110 overseas exhibitions of Chinese cultural relics and over 240 inbound exhibitions were held, spanning over 20 countries and regions across four continents.
The main venue for this year's International Museum Day celebrations was the Inner Mongolia Museum in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The theme of this year's event was "Museums Uniting a Divided World."
During the opening ceremony, the 2026 "Civilization Bridge Program — Outstanding Overseas Exhibitions of Chinese Cultural Relics" was officially launched. The program aims to organize a series of overseas exhibitions featuring representative Chinese cultural relics, with the goal of further advancing cultural exchange and mutual learning among civilizations.
A number of major announcements were also made during the ceremony, including the release of the annual list of China's top 10 museum exhibitions and the latest achievements of the "Electricity Plus Cultural Heritage" volunteer program for cultural relic protection.
Across the country, museums and cultural institutions hosted a wide range of themed activities, including exhibitions, lectures and cultural events, to celebrate International Museum Day.
