When visiting Beijing, the Palace Museum is a must-see for many people. Last year, the museum received 14.2 million visitors, which is twice the number of visitors in 2002. This year it is expected to increase by 10 percent. Compared with other popular museums around the world, the number of visitors at the Palace Museum is very high. Last year the Louvre(罗浮宫) in Paris welcomed 8.8 million visitors and the British Museum in London received 5.8 million. A large number of visitors can bring a lot of money from ticket sales. But there are also worries that people will do demage(破坏) to relics(文物) and old buildings. To solve the problem, some people suggested taking cultural objects out of the Palace Museum. In this way, visitors coming for ancient buildings and cultural objects will go to different places. “It is a sign of progress. Letting more people see these treasures is more important than keeping them in their original(原始的) place,” said Song Xiangguang, a professor at Peking University. However, Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, doesn’t agree on this idea. He thinks that the most important thing in protecting the Palace Museum is to keep it complete. “The 1.8 million cultural relics and the historical buildings are two key parts of the museum. They can’t be separated.” he said. Shan said that they are planning to increase the space that is open to the public. This will not only feed visitors’ curiosity(好奇), but also spread them out so they are not putting too much pressure on one area. Shan also wanted to set up an appointment system. “ If visitors make an appointment before they come, we can make better and different visiting routes(路线) for them.” Shan said. 小题1:How many visitors did the Palace Museum welcome in 2002?
|