Tourists visit the Mogao Grottoes. Photo: VCG

The Mogao Grottoes, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site in Northwest China's Gansu Province, reopened on Sunday after being closed for months due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

At present the well-known tourist site strictly controls daily visits to less than 30 percent of its previous maximum visits, or about 1,800 tickets per day, while the digital center and display room remain closed until further notice. Visitors are required to book tickets online, have their temperatures taken and wear masks during their visits, and group visits will not be accepted yet, said Dunhuang Academy, which administers the heritage. The academy added that medical workers will be given free admission by the end of this year.

 The Mogao Grottoes has been offering online exhibitions on platforms including its official website, social media platform WeChat and video-sharing apps for visitors trapped at home.

The national museum, first constructed in AD366, is home to collections of Buddhist artwork - more than 2,000 colored sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals - in 735 caves carved along a cliff by ancient worshippers.