A poster for the exhibition featuring treasures collected by Hangzhou local museums. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The 2024 International Museum Day main event in Hangzhou was held at the Hangzhou Museum on May 15, marking the opening of the special exhibition titled Bringing Artifacts to Life – Treasures of Hangzhou Museums.

The star attraction of the exhibition is the stone-carved star map from the tomb of Qian Yuanguan (887-941), a ruler of the Wuyue Kingdom (907-978), housed at the Stele Forest of the Confucius Temple in Hangzhou. The artifact is the oldest of its kind in the world, dating back to the Kaiyuan era (713–741) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It features 217 stars, including the accurately positioned Northern Dipper and 28 lunar mansions, making it a valuable piece for the study of ancient astronomy.

The tooth unearthed in Jiande city, Hangzhou, which dates back to over 50,000 years ago. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Also on display is a Yue Kiln celadon tea set inspired by artifacts from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960), showcasing the continued influence of Wuyue culture and drawing significant visitor attention.

Hangzhou now boasts 224 museums. It plans to build a digital public service platform, establish 10 new State-owned museums, cultivate 100 village and community museums, and organize 1,000 temporary exhibitions and multimedia activities within the next five years. These initiatives are intended to serve millions of visitors annually.

A type of currency of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]