[Photo provided to China Daily]

Meanwhile, despite the buzz surrounding the opening of the TAM, college museums are not a very common sight in China.

The only comparable institution is Peking University's Museum of Art and Archaeology named after its sponsor Arthur M. Sackler, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist.

It boasts a collection of drawings and prints of Western masters, such as Raphael and Picasso donated by visiting US professor Donald Stone.

"Every major university in the United States has an art museum ... Students can just go over, enjoy the beautiful pieces of art and then go back to their studies," Stone says.

But things could be changing in China.

Last year saw the opening of the Wanlin Art Museum at Wuhan University in Central China's Hubei province.

The museum was set up thanks to Chen Dongsheng, president of Taikang Life Insurance Corp and China Guardian Auctions, who donated 120 million yuan for the project.