Complaints

"As a foreigner there aren't enough English explanations, or sometimes not even an audio guide tour which can be frustrating," said a Canadian expat who asked not to be named.
"The best exhibit I saw was copies of the Dunhuang grottoes last year, but I was disappointed there was no English audio guide tour for that. This was at the National Art Museum of China."

This May the National Art Museum of China exhibition of Turner offered an audio guide tour supplied by co-sponsors the British Council. However, there was no explanation either in English or Chinese below a single painting except name and date. Even the volunteer guides spoke only Chinese.

Not all is lost.

"I went to the Shanghai History Museum at Pearl Oriental TV Tower recently," said a 32-year-old American who refused to give his name, "and the translation seemed fine."

"I believe the museums here are great but there can be more improvement, more professionalism," said Francesca Romana D'Ambrosio, an Italian professor. "I think it could be made better for us foreigners."

Yan claimed the Shanghai Museum and the "Palace Museum" – Forbidden City in English – are on the same level. However, the Forbidden City draws more criticism, particularly from foreigners.
"The Forbidden City is different from other museums as the management never told the audience how to appreciate it either for the sake of art or for the sake of culture," Yan said.

"That is the main problem of museums in China."

Museums improving fast: experts

Within a short period, China's museums have made glorious achievements, with some museums cooperating with foreign museums on three or four art exhibitions a year, said Song Xinchao, chief director of the Museum and Social Cultural Heritage Department at the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

China trusts books while the West likes demonstrations, he argued. Chinese tour museums thinking "I have seen the treasure," while westerners see exhibits as research tools, Song argued.

"Also foreign students go through their school life with essential classes such as arts and art history, but our children get few chances to appreciate true beauty at the museum," he said.
Professors Yan Jianqiang of the Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology at Zhejiang

University and Shang Hong, an expert of folk customs working for the Beijing Folk Arts Museum suggest four measures to help fix China's faulty museums:

1. More academic development, deepening research at museums of China;
2. More planning and care for museum development;
3. Better public service at museums;
4. More funding for unique exhibitions and promotions.

Source:Global Times
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