China will expand its Beijing-based National Museum into the
world's largest one within the next four years, according to
curator Lu Zhangshen.
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The National Museum, standing on the east side of Tian'anmen
Square, will undergo renovation and enlargement from next April to
2010, Lu was quoted as saying by the
Beijing News on
Sunday. ?
"The museum will expand 100 meters eastwards and its floor space
will reach 192,000 square meters -- the largest in the world, " he
said.
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The project has won approval from the State Council as well as
from the State Development and Reform Commission, he said.
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Formed along the same lines of the National Museum of Chinese
History and the National Museum of Chinese Revolution, the National
Museum of China was inaugurated on Feb. 28, 2003.
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The two former museums were completed in August 1959, according
to the official museum website.
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The present National Museum is 313 meters long from north to
south and 149 meters wide from east to west, with a total floor
space of 69,000 square meters.
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(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2006)
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