The National Museum of China is celebrating its centennial. Its aims are high: to become one of the greatest museums in the world. As such the Museum has been working hard to protect and promote Chinese art and culture ever since it’s founding. But what more can be done in the century to come?

Over the past hundred years, the national museum has made an icon of itself. It maintains nearly 200,000 square meters of land right in the heart of Beijing. It houses more than 1.2 million items in its permanent collection - including many of China’s most valuable national treasures. Add to that the visiting exhibits, and it’s got quite a grand collection indeed. No wonder last year it saw more than 4 million visitors. It also has archaeological prowess of its own.

Not only a venue to showcase all these national treasures, but also has its archaeology research center, including its underwater excavation team.

Archaeology research center（field, aerial and underwater excavation）

The National Museum is the top archaeological institution in China. Its three branches focus on field, aerial and underwater work. In recent years, a focus on the sea has proved the real head-turner. China has 189 known underwater sites of archaeological interest, and scientists today are better equipped than ever to explore them. The museum’s curator is rightfully proud.

Lu Zhangshen, Curator of National Museum of China, said, "China’s soft power is growing rapidly and our museum is a national icon that showcases it."

Some, however, feel that the museum needs to rethink how it approaches its displays. Dr. Julian Raby, who visited the National Museum of China for its centennial, emphasized a need to focus on set and setting.

Dramatic words written on displays

Dr. Julian Raby, director of Freer and Sackler Galleries, said, "In a few of museums, words written on the objects make me go back from the label to the object and back again, like poetry. So great object, great setting, I would argue we need to be a little bit more dramatic on the way we show things."

China has a particular strength here. Its long history gives museums a chance to really tell a story, and make it much more than just a storehouse of history, but a place to capture the echoes of countless lives and memories past.