The General Office of the State Council approved on November 19 that the new museum about the Grand Canal under construction in Yangzhou City will be officially named “Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum.”

The Grand Canal forms a vast inland waterway system in the north-eastern and central eastern plains of China. With a history of more than 2,500 years, the Grand Canal is the world's longest man-made waterway and stretches from Beijing to Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. It was inscribed on the list of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 2014.

The Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum, to be operated by Nanjing Museum, is expected to open on July 1 next year. With 11 exhibition zones, the facility will serve as an encyclopedia of the Grand Canal with 10,000 exhibits.

As a centerpiece of the museum, the 500-square-meter circular digital hall allows visitors to understand the history and culture of the Grand Canal in incredible, immersive ways, thanks to the application of technologies and innovative presentation.

The museum will also include space for archaeology fans, a store of cultural and creative goods, a tea house, a café and a small theater. It aims to be a popular destination for sightseeing, education and relax. Museum entry is free to all.

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