CARTOON
Museums come alive online
Published: Mar 27, 2020 02:13 PM

Illustrations: Luo Xuan/GT


Chinese museums may have been temporarily closed to combat the coronavirus outbreak, but many are still open to online visitors. A growing number of Chinese museums are presenting their collection of artifacts on the internet. Since February, online platforms including Taobao and TikTok (known in China as Douyin) have held livestreaming events from China's museums. The programs have proved popular, receiving more than 10 million daily visits, according to media reports. Some livestreaming hosts have become internet celebrities. Bai Xuesong, the host of Xi'an Beilin Museum's livestreaming event on Sunday, received more than 1.75 million "likes." Avoiding tedious narratives while introducing exhibits, his witty tone and funny stories won the hearts of his audience. Instead of being laid aside and neglected, cultural heritage should enrich the public's knowledge and expand their outlook. The livestreaming events during the COVID-19 pandemic are a step forward in achieving that goal.