Treasures of the World's Cultures

It's where civilization's very first tools from Africa, crafted nearly 2 million years ago, can be found along with contemporary art from all around the world. Zhao Caixia, a real estate company clerk, had a memorable time on Saturday at the Capital Museum in western Beijing.

"One of the first, lucky visitors to British Museum's 'Treasures of the World's Cultures' exhibition, I was thrilled to have the rare chance to listen to the wonderful lectures given by directors of the two museums," she recalled.

"I may pay a second visit to the Capital Museum for a careful look at the precious exhibits since, for the time being, I find no time to travel afar to cities like London, Paris and New York to satisfy my curiosity for prestigious art museums."

British Museum's touring "Treasures of the World's Cultures" exhibition opened on March 18 at a 1,400-square-meter hall in the newly-built Capital Museum. It will run through June 5.

Co-sponsored by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Hong Kong-based Standard Chartered Bank, the exhibition is "the first fruit of a cultural exchange programme between the two museums, which was settled in September 2005 when Wang Qishan, mayor of Beijing, was visiting London," Guo Xiaoling, director of the Capital Museum, told China Daily.

And it is the first time that the world's oldest national public museum is showcasing part of its collections in Beijing.