Interest in science a boon for tourism, inquisitive minds

Crowded venues

During the summer vacation, the Hefei Science and Technology Museum was one of the most popular destinations in the city, especially its new site based in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone.

Since its inauguration in August 2023, the site has become a hot spot for locals and visitors alike, and has positioned itself as a primary venue for scientific exploration in Hefei.

On July 28, the number of online reservations for daytime visits to the site increased from an average daily high of 5,000 people to 6,000. On Aug 5, it climbed further to reach 7,000 visitors.

In addition, night sessions on Fridays and Saturdays were introduced from Aug 5 to Sept 1, and accommodated 2,000 visitors each night. However, tickets were still hard to get.

The first nighttime visits to the new exhibition hall fell on Aug 9. Prior to the venue opening its doors in the evening, long queues formed at the entrance, with many visitors saying exploring the museum at night was a novel experience.

"The museum allows children to relax while gaining knowledge, combining education with entertainment, and stimulating children's interest in learning science," said Zhu Daohong, director of the museum.

Anhui Innovation Pavilion, based in Hefei, is China's first venue themed on innovation and is also a national base for science popularization education.

"Relying on its own science and technology resources, the pavilion launched a series of educational courses during the recent summer vacation," said Zhou Lamei, manager of the science popularization section at the pavilion.