Purple and white flowers cascade down Haonan Bieye, the former residence of Zhang Jian, at the Nantong Museum. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Nantong will be the main venue in Jiangsu province of celebrations for the 45th International Museum Day, which falls on May 18, officials announced at a news conference on May 8.

Nantong is the birthplace of China's museums as it is home to the country's first museum – the Nantong Museum –founded by Zhang Jian, a local industrial magnate and scholar, in 1905, said officials while explaining why Nantong was chosen as the main venue.

The celebrations, hosted by the provincial department of culture and tourism and the Nantong government, will open at the Nantong Museum on May 14. Officials revealed that a national tour exhibition themed around Zhang Jian will be launched that day.

In addition, a conference on the high-quality development of museums in Jiangsu will be held at the Chinese Charity Museum, while cultural performances featuring singing, dancing, drama, and intangible cultural heritage items will be staged at the Nantong Museum.

A series of activities, including exhibitions, academic seminars, and promotional events for cultural relics, will also be held at various museums across the city in the following days.

According to Ge Jinkun, director of the Nantong bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism, a cultural bazaar will also be held in the museum cluster along the Haohe River, which will consist of four exhibition areas for innovative cultural products, intangible cultural heritage items, time-honored brands, and other cultural products.