The construction of Three Gorges Relics Technology Protection Base in Nan’an District completed on January 29 and expected to open within the year (Photographed by Qi Lansen/Vision Chongqing)

The reporter from Chongqing Daily learned from Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum on February 1 that Three Gorges Cultural Relics Technology Protection Base under the museum is completed, having recently passed the energy-saving acceptance and completion pre-inspection, and will be open to the public within the year. As the first“Relics Hospital” in Chongqing, the opening will allow visitors to see the restoration process up close and personal, as well as to appreciate the excavated cultural relics of the Three Gorges and learn about relic conservation through interactive projects.

The Three Gorges Cultural Relics Technology Protection Base is shaped like a canyon, with metal aluminum panels like the texture of rock, giving it silver“veneer”. Standing in front of the visitor entrance, the reporter sees the facade of the building as an open embrace, inviting people to step into the canyon and listen to the story of the relics.“The building has a number of open spaces and visitors will have a pleasant experience when walking through the‘canyon’,” Luo Bin, Chief Designer of Three Gorges Cultural Relics Technology Protection Base, said.

The ground floor of the Base has two basic display halls and an open exhibition hall where visitors can enjoy valuable cultural relics excavated from the Three Gorges over the past 20 years, participate in interactive projects and learn about relic conservation. The visitors can reach the second floor via a curved escalator of almost 20 meters long.“On the second floor is the‘operating theatre’ of the‘Relics Hospital’, with each‘operating theatre’ is fitted with transparent glass, like an exhibition case.” Yuan Quan, Director of the Conservation and Archaeology Department of Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, said that the majority of the Museum’s restorers and equipment will be transferred to the Base, where visitors can watch through glass as“relics doctors” restore paintings, bronzes, ceramics and other categories of cultural relics,“Cultural relics restoration will be brought to the public’s attention, and when conditions are ripe, there will also be study activities for young people on relic conservation and traditional culture.”

“The Three Gorges Cultural Relics Technology Protection Base will meet the urgent need for the conservation and restoration of subsequent excavations from the Three Gorges and enhance the infrastructure conditions for relic restoration in Chongqing. After the opening of the base, the public is expected to learn about the story of relic restoration, thereby increasing their love for traditional culture and helping to bring relics to life in the present to serve contemporary times,” Yuan Quan said. (Translated by Wang Huixin, Fathom Language Limited)

Editor:Jiang Yiwei