In 2023 alone, China added 268 new museums. Numerous high-profile exhibitions were held this year, including a showcase of the ancient Inca civilization in Shenzhen and an exhibition on ancient Egypt in Shanghai.

　　Nationwide, 6,833 museums in the country logged 1.29 billion visits in 2023.

　　People visit an exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

　　Many of the young visitors at the Hellenic exhibition were there in part to complement their studies. For example, Niu's visit was inspired by the upcoming history curriculum of next semester. Similarly, Wang Yudan, a senior high school student from Chengdu in Sichuan, traveled here over the weekend to experience the artifacts firsthand.

　　“Seeing the objects in person is more inspiring than reading about them in textbooks,“ she said. “It makes history more engaging and easier to absorb.“

　　Gao Zheng, director of the National Museum of China, emphasized the relevance of ancient civilizations to modern challenges. The wisdom contained within these artifacts holds unique value for addressing the problems of the times, he said.

　　As one visitor wrote in the Hellenic exhibition guest book, “One can see as far into the future as one can into the past.“