The China Grand Canal Museum (CGCM) spans nearly 79,000 square meters and offers a comprehensive display that covers all eras, regions, and aspects of the enriching lives the Grand Canal has provided. As a landmark institution within the Grand Canal National Cultural Park, CGCM is situated in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province—the starting point of the Grand Canal. Nestled along the canal's banks, this modern museum stands alongside the ancient waterway that has endured for thousands of years. CGCM embodies the crucial mission of protecting, utilizing, inheriting, and innovating the Grand Canal's cultural heritage.
The museum features 13 uniquely styled exhibition spaces, all guided by the overarching theme of “the lasting streams of cultures, the beautiful lives of people.” It emphasizes the innovative application of digital display technology and the creation of immersive experiences. In 2023, CGCM welcomed a total of 4.2 million visitors, establishing itself as a “golden card” of China that showcases the rich connotations of the Grand Canal's cultural heritage to the world.
Boats on the Canal exhibition
Innovating Interpretation: Remodeling the Presentation and Dissemination of Cultural Heritage
At the China Grand Canal Museum (CGCM), excellence in interpreting cultural heritage has always been a guiding principle. This commitment drives the museum's continuous exploration and innovation in exhibit curation. By harnessing the latest in science and technology, CGCM constantly pushes the boundaries of how exhibits are presented, aiming to transform the interpretation and dissemination of cultural heritage.
One such example is the "Boats on the Canal" exhibition, which combines physical ship models with multimedia interactive equipment and projection to offer a stunningly immersive experience. Visitors feel as if they are boarding a real canal boat as they explore the exhibition hall. This exhibit, which captures the evolution of canal boats as a reflection of the beautiful lives brought by the Grand Canal, elevates the themes of boats into a spiritual homage to the “beautiful lives” they represent.
The first part of the exhibition, set within an 11-meter-high space, showcases 78 ship models, a form of intangible cultural heritage from China, recreating the bustling waterways of the Grand Canal. The second part, housed in a 17-meter-high space, features a full-scale replica of a Shafei boat from the Kangxi reign (1622-1722). This section integrates digital technology to create a vibrant, digitized immersive experience, bringing history to life in a unique and engaging way.
The “Water Flows Left and Right, the Youth Yearns Day and Night” exhibition blends digital technology with art and culture across four themes: “water, transportation, poetry, and painting.” This non-narrative, immersive experience creates a virtual space where visitors can engage with nature, history, culture, art, and contemporary elements of the canal, transcending temporal and spatial boundaries. Through interactive installations, visitors are invited to deeply explore the “canal aesthetics.”
The “Urban Prosperity along the Grand Canal” exhibition hall combines a “brick-and-mortar” business approach with live performances, offering visitors a comprehensive experience of touring, participation, interaction, dining, and shopping. This “one-stop” cultural, leisure, and tourism service seamlessly integrates storytelling through historical relics with the symbolic aesthetics of cultural heritage.
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Boundary Exploration and Expansion: Innovating the Cultural Heritage Educational Model
The immersive exhibit *Imperial Inspector: Canal Mystery* is an interactive puzzle-solving experience designed specifically for young visitors at the China Grand Canal Museum (CGCM). Modeled after popular “Escape Games,” this exhibit captivates young audiences with its intriguing plots and immersive environment, challenging them to solve puzzles as they explore the space.
In this exhibit, CGCM employs an “Integrated Exhibition and Education” approach, merging the roles of “educator” and “curator” into a unified experience. The museum collaborates with educational organizations to co-create the exhibit, ensuring it is both informative and engaging. As part of its ongoing effort to innovate museum education, CGCM breaks the traditional boundaries between exhibit and game, drawing on educational game design theories to create an experience that is not only fun but also deeply educational. The exhibit focuses on fostering interaction among teenagers, balancing educational content with gameplay.
The curation team developed an original script for the exhibit, which incorporates main storylines and exemplifies the effective use of educational games in museums. Through immersive experiences and scenario simulations, CGCM offers a space for exploration centered on immersive learning, where visitors engage in puzzle-solving within a game-based educational model.
The exhibit features eight sets of puzzles and over 30 interactive installations, all of which can run concurrently and be updated as needed. As visitors solve puzzles, the storyline progresses, leading to unique endings for each player. However, the true value of the exhibit lies not in the game’s outcomes but in the spontaneous learning that occurs as visitors solve puzzles, deepening their understanding of cultural heritage through interaction.
Looking ahead, CGCM will continue to explore innovative exhibition methods, expanding the boundaries of cultural heritage interpretation. The museum is committed to empowering the utilization and dissemination of the China Grand Canal—a UNESCO World Heritage site—showcasing its vitality and innovative spirit to the world.