More than 100 museums from around the world are celebrating their day today at a major exposition at the Agricultural Museum of China in Beijing.

The Museum and Related Products and Technologies Exposition, which opened today and runs through Friday, is the first museum exposition to be held in China. The Chinese Society of Museums, Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums, Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Agricultural Museum of China are co-hosting the expo.

The institutions represented include comprehensive museums, as well as museums of art, nature, and science and technology.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government organized 12 museums to join the expo, including those specializing in history, art, astronomy, tea, coastal defense and Hong Kong films.

More than 60 companies are also attending the expo to promote their museum-related products.

The Beijing Summit of World's Museum Directors is being held concurrently. Around 150 museum directors, curators and other experts will discuss the theme of this year's World Museum Day: The Global Concept of Heritage and New Approaches to Today's Museums. This is also the theme of the 20th convention of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

ICOM President Jacques Perot, ICOM Asia-Pacific Regional Chairman Amareswar Galla and representatives from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are scheduled to speak at the convention.

Tea, folk music and dance, and astronomy shows are also being held at the agricultural museum during the expo.

(China Daily May 18, 2004)