Some construction machines stand in front of the National Museum in downtown Beijing March 17, 2007. The National Museum with new buildings will be completed in 2009 and it will cover a land space of 70,000 square meters and 40.3 meters high. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China commenced a nearly two-year-long enlargement project of the National Museum at the heart of its capital on Saturday.

    The National Museum, standing to the east of the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, used to be one of the ten celebrated constructions after the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.

    By now, the museum could hardly keep the increasing number of collections and sophisticated facilities, said a source with the museum.

    According to the project plan, south, north and west wings of the existing buildings will be repaired and reinforced. New buildings will be constructed eastwards.

    The new buildings will be a little bit higher than the existing ones and the architectural style will be preserved, according to blueprint of the project.

    All the 620,000 collections and relevant facilities have been moved out of the museum to make way for the construction.

    The National Museum with new buildings will be completed in 2009 and it will cover a land space of 70,000 square meters and 40.3 meters high.

Related:

National museum closes for 3-year overhaul

    BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The National Museum of China, the grand building on the east side of Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing, closed on Wednesday for a three-year overhaul that will make it the world's largest arts and history museum.

    The museum's floor space will be expanded from the current 65,000 square meters to 192,000 square meters turning it into the world's most spacious, said a source with the museum.

National museum to close for renovation

    BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- An exhibition showcasing the work of 268 Chinese craftwork artists will be the last show at the National Museum of China before it closes for renovation in February.

    The renovation will expand the floor space of the building to 192,000 square meters, making it the largest museum in the world. The construction work is expected to commence in April and the Museum will re-open in 2010.

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