The opening ceremony of International Museum Day 2021 is held at the Capital Museum of China in Beijing on May 18, 2021. [Photo courtesy of the Capital Museum of China]

In keeping with this year's IMD theme,"The Future of Museums: Recovery and Reimagine," Chinese museums called for innovative ways to think, explore, and put forward new plans on how to deal with challenges facing society, the economy, and the environment. The museum representatives also put a focus on how they could adjust and improve their own functions and future direction in the context of a fast-changing world.

During Tuesday's opening, Hu Heping, Chinese minister of culture and tourism, and Chen Jining, mayor of Beijing, jointly opened a new exhibition titled"Eternal Treasures of Ten Thousand Years—An exhibition on China's achievements in cultural heritage preservation."

A series of activities such as the"Museum's 5G New Life,""Golden Microphone Award Winners Interacting at Museums," and the TV program"China's National Treasure Competition" also kicked off the opening.

Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Li Qun, announced at the opening that China's museum industry has made remarkable achievements. By the end of 2020, there were 5,788 registered museums throughout the country, including 1,224 first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade national museums. This demonstrates modern museum system with rich variety spread across diverse topics has largely been formed, Li said.

In 2020, even when facing challenges brought by the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese museums still managed to launch over 29,000 exhibitions and around 225,000 activities, receiving 540 million visitors and millions of online audiences, Li added.

Alberto Garlandini, president of the International Council of Museum (ICOM), sent a video congratulating those at the event. He also used the occasion to reaffirm the long-term and successful cooperation between the ICOM and the Chinese museum community, and called on museums around the world to join hands to build a bridge between peoples and cultures of all countries and promote the development of cultural diversity.

Attendees at the International Museum Day 2021 opening ceremony in Beijing, held at the Capital Museum of China on May 18, 2021. [Photo courtesy of the Capital Museum of China]

Winners of the"Most Innovative Museums 2021" and the 18th"Top Ten National Museum Exhibitions (2020)" were also announced at the opening ceremony. Tuesday also witnessed a theme forum about IMD and also held at the Capital Museum, which discussed the development of museums in the new era, as well as a"Museum Night" event featuring exhibitions, dramas, Peking Opera performances, and dances.

To mark IMD 2021, museums across China will hold various events, including notable exhibitions, academic seminars, workshops, conferences, public experience events, and cultural heritage promotion activities.