Curators of the National Museum of China and the British Museum signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing Tuesday to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of exhibition and research.

The memorandum says the British Museum (BM) is expecting to show the highlights of its worldwide collections to audiences in Beijing at the National Museum of China (NMC) when it reopens after its renovation and enlargement in 2008.

The NMC wishes to show the development of human civilization and the multi-cultural nature of world history through a series of thematic exhibitions on "the ancient and contemporary world civilization", when it reopens in 2008.

According to the agreement, the two museums will plan a series of major loan exhibitions from BM's collections to show-case in NMC the cultures of the world. NMC will provide a venue of 1,000 square meters in its renovated and enlarged building where the exhibition program will take place.

On the other hand, exhibitions on the cultures of China will also be held in BM.

In addition, the two museums will also exchange researchers to conduct technological and academic cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2005)