Museums emerge as hot holiday spots for younger generations

At Shanxi Museum, stuffed toys shown sleeping cozily in a pouch were a particular hit with visitors during the holiday.

Qiu Ping, deputy director of Jinci Museum, notices the changing behaviors of young visitors. "They are no longer satisfied with just walking through exhibits — they do homework on the museums. They are not shy with the museum guides and ask questions about the exhibit's cultural significance."

This shift from passive observation to active participation reflects the younger Chinese generations' growing interest in traditional culture, Qiu says.

On Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, a popular Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform, posts tagged "museum "have exceeded 11 million, as many share their experiences.

Technology is also adding a new dimension to museum experiences. At the Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, visitors can wear virtual reality headsets to experience the grandeur of ancient banquets, while interactive projection walls allow them to play music alongside musicians in the murals with a simple wave of their hand.

Wang Jiang, the museum's director, says the venue aims to create immersive experiences for visitors using technologies such as digital imaging and 3D animation.

The move has helped the museum attract more young visitors. Those under 30 accounted for more than 60 percent of all bookings during the holiday, according to the museum's data.