A Ming head ornament. [PHOTO BY HUANG YI/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Huang is aware of the limited information one can receive through a single visit, and says he always discovers something new or an alternative highlight on repeated visits to those museums that have a constant appeal to him.

Like a treasure hunter, he can often spot details or delicate relics that will surprise and wow the viewer. For example, he shows photos of a lotus-shaped famille-rose porcelain cup from the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908). The green "pedicel" served as a straw to take in liquid from the bottom of the cup where there is a hole that links to the hidden channel.

He thinks it's a pity that many people don't get the full idea of the relics' elegant features and interesting uses.

Upon seeing some exhibits echoing similar ones kept in other museums, he pays close attention to the differences between them.

"I seldom get bored or annoyed by not being able to shoot some of the exhibits," he says. "For me, it's a hobby rather than something that I struggle to 'persist' at."