Museums in Xi'an: The renovation of public services

（CRI Online）  13:15, January 15, 2013

Museums in Xi'an are striving to offer a more visitor-friendly environment with interactive activities so domestic and foreign tourists alike can better absorb ancient Chinese culture.

With China's economic boom, more people are willing to pay to get educated or be entertained. This includes visits to museums, which have spiked in recent years especially in Xi'an in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, which had been the capital of 13 dynasties and is home to hundreds of thousands of ancient relics.

The city now has some 94 museums ranging from comprehensive, state-owned museums to specialized, privately owned ones. The first museum in Xi'an opened in 1909 and featured a collection of western industrial products brought in by westerners in the hope of educating the nation about the coming modern age.

About 5 million people visited the city's best-known museum the Terracotta Warriors Museum last year. Curators there are now developing a service package for visitors, including interactive activities and more comfortable facilities.