Xi'an Xianyang International Airport unveiled the world's first airport on-site museum Wednesday, inviting travelers to explore Chinese culture during their layover. Travelers at the airport's Terminal 5 can now explore the Western Airport Museum, a 6,400 square meter space designed to transform waiting time into a cultural journey.
"The biggest feature of the Western Airport Museum is the unique combination of airport plus museum. The main exhibits are artifacts unearthed during the constructions of airport. There are very few places in the world where an airport can showcase artifacts excavated from its site that carry rich historical stories. Xi'an [Xianyang International] Airport indeed has exceptional advantages to achieve this," said Chen Yao, project manager of the Western Airport Museum. There're two halls in the Western Museum, one is the "Square Hall", which covers an area of 400 square meters, and the other is "Treasure Hall", which covers an area of 88 square meters.
The Square Hall is the basic exhibition, and 121 cultural relics unearthed in the airport archaeological excavations over the years are the main exhibits.
The Treasure Hall curates special exhibitions, displaying only one cultural relic at a time and replacing the exhibits every three to six months.
The West Airport Museum is closed every Monday and Chinese New Year's Eve after its official opening. The museum has a reservation system, which allows visitorsto make reservations online. "In our museum, there are free tours by volunteer tour guides throughout the day, and many activities including the intangible cultural heritage exhibition, cultural and creative exhibition and scientific and technological experience," said Chen.
Xi'an airport opens world's first on-site museum for passengers
