Workers have begun moving 620,000 cultural items out from the National Museum of China in Beijing as a major expansion project scheduled to begin next April looms large.

"The items will be moved in batches around-the-clock to two temporary storehouses under police protection," said Deputy Curator Ma Yingming.

The removal work will take about two months, according to Ma.

The museum, near downtown Tian'anmen Square, will be renovated and enlarged starting next April at a cost of 2.6 billion yuan (US$330 million).

At present, it stands 313 meters long and 149 meters wide, with a total floor space of 69,000 square meters.

"The museum will expand 100 meters eastwards and its floor space will near triple to 192,000 square meters - the largest museum in the world once the project is completed in 2010," said Curator Lu Zhangshen.

The museum's special treasures display and Waxworks Hall are now closed, but other exhibitions will be held as planned until Spring Festival on Feb. 18 next year, according to Lu.

Temporary exhibitions will help compensate for entry losses during the expansion period, according to Lu.

Created from the National Museum of Chinese History and the National Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the National Museum of China was inaugurated on February 28, 2003.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2006)