Surge in museum visits after TV show

The latest episode of the fourth season of the TV show, National Treasure, which aired recently, featured celebrities such as actresses Xu Fan and Ma Sichun, as well as actor Li Hongyi, visiting Jilin Provincial Museum to narrate the stories behind the artifacts in its collection.

Produced by China Media Group, the fourth season has showcased 27 national treasures from cultural institutions like the Palace Museum, Tianjin Museum, Anhui Museum, Fujian Museum, and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in Hong Kong to its viewers.

It provides viewers with insights into the stories behind the artifacts, offering a multidimensional view of the wisdom and power rooted in Chinese civilization and showcasing how the outstanding traditional Chinese culture is being passed down in the modern era.

Additionally, it explores how these artifacts serve as emotional bridges connecting people from different cultures.

This season highlights foreign individuals from countries such as France, Spain and Turkiye who have chosen to reside in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China in Jiangxi province, to learn the ancient art of porcelain making.

For example, Jaume Ribalta, who has been involved in ceramic art in Spain for years, discovered that many porcelain-making techniques originated in Jingdezhen. Since 2019, he has been coming to Jingdezhen every summer to learn the craft and later decided to move there, opening his own workshop.

"Jingdezhen is a paradise for all ceramic enthusiasts," he said.

The show aims to showcase the inclusive nature of Chinese civilization and has established a cultural bridge connecting domestic and international audiences.

It has also sparked a trend of people visiting museums during the summer. Following the broadcast of an episode focusing on the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, the facility experienced a surge in visitors, with reservations fully booked the day after the episode aired. The museum remains in high demand, with extended opening hours since July 20 to accommodate eager visitors.

In recent years, China has made significant progress in the conservation and utilization of cultural relics and the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage. Museums, through the preservation, research and display of ancient artifacts, have become memorials of civilization for future generations.