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China to build second Palace Museum in Beijing’s suburbs to show more treasures

Less than one per cent of the art collections of former Ming and Qing dynasty emperors can be displayed in Beijing’s existing national museum building

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An artist’s impression of the new Palace Museum, which will be built in a park area 25km north of Beijing’s existing Palace Museum. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Zhuang Pinghuiin Beijing

A second Palace Museum will be built 25km from the existing premises in Beijing so more treasures from the former Chinese imperial palace can go on display, the China News Service reported on Monday.

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Less than 1 per cent of the art collections from the palace, also known as the Forbidden City, can be displayed inside the present national museum because of space constraints.

Treasures from the palace, home to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty emperors, include bronze statues, ­lacquer ware, textiles, pottery, paintings, calligraphy and ­religious artefacts.

Shan Jixiang, director of the museum, said the acute lack of any large space in the centre of the capital meant that the new museum would be built 25km from the current building, beside historic relics in a park that also houses a river and a lake.

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Tourists queue up to visit the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
Tourists queue up to visit the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
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