The China Abacus Museum, located by the Haohe River in Nantong's Chongchuan district, is set to open again on Dec 21. [Photo/WeChat account: zgntrb]

After half a year of renovation, the China Abacus Museum – located by the Haohe River in the Chongchuan district of Nantong city, in East China's Jiangsu province – held a reopening ceremony on Dec 19, paving the way for it to open its doors to the public on Dec 21 with a brand-new look.

The group of museums along the Haohe River is a distinctive visiting card for Nantong's culture and tourism, and the China Abacus Museum is a very special one of them.

Since its opening in 2004, the museum has attracted countless domestic and international visitors, drawn there by the elegant environment, special exhibits and wide range of services.

However, due to passage of time, the dated security and fire control systems and cultural relics warehouses all needed renewal. In February, the renovation plan for the museum was approved by the Nantong municipal government and work began in early June.

After the revamp, the China Abacus Museum now has five halls, to show the development history of the abacus, display special exhibits, enable visitors to closely experience the abacus culture and to access the special exhibition.

A temporary exhibition hall has been set up to hold a wealth of artifacts. It can also serve as a working space for academic events and educational activities.