Administration boosts exhibition content review procedures

China's National Cultural Heritage Administration issued a new notice on Wednesday to further strengthen the review of exhibition content in museums nationwide, with a particular focus on ensuring that exhibition content complies with state guidelines, is accurate, and undergoes stricter reviews at every stage.

Under the new requirements, all museums must take full responsibility for reviewing the exhibition content hosted or presented under their names. Museum leaders are required to collectively review and approve exhibition themes, object captions, interpretive texts, and exhibition outlines, with the principal director providing the final sign-off.

Each exhibition must be assigned a designated exhibition director who will be responsible for ensuring that the final display content aligns with the approved outline. For permanent exhibitions, the museum director personally serves as the exhibition director. At least 10 working days prior to an exhibition opening, museums are required to complete legally mandated filing procedures with the relevant cultural heritage authorities.

The notice notes that reviews must take place before, during and after exhibitions. Before opening, exhibition directors are required to conduct on-site inspections of panel texts, labels, multimedia displays, digital installations, and audio guides to verify accuracy and consistency with the final approval outline. During the exhibition period, directors must conduct regular walk-throughs and address any issues immediately. Feedback collected from visitors and online sources must be promptly reported to the exhibition director. If factual errors are confirmed, corrections must be made within the same day. For content disputes, museums are required to organize expert reviews and handle the matter properly, with major issues reported to higher authorities without delay.

The notice explicitly states that museums are the primary bodies responsible for content review and cannot outsource this duty to third parties or delegate their responsibilities. When collaborating with other institutions, museums must include contractual provisions that clearly establish their final authority over exhibition content.

Provincial and local cultural heritage administrations are also called upon to strengthen supervision and oversight. They are required to refine filing procedures, improve evaluation mechanisms, and establish routine inspection procedures to ensure that filing requirements are meaningfully enforced. Administrations at all levels must conduct regular inspections of exhibition content and promptly address identified risks and issues.

In addition, all provincial cultural heritage administrations are required to immediately launch special reviews of exhibition content within their jurisdictions, covering permanent exhibitions, temporary shows and all public information materials, including signage, notices and announcements. Special attention should be given to textual accuracy, historical dating, data presentation, map standards, and the appropriate portrayal of historical events, revolutionary movements, and prominent figures.

Provincial authorities are required to submit summary reports to the national administration by Sept 30, detailing their actions, corrective measures and long-term mechanisms. The administration will dispatch inspection teams to oversee and guide the nationwide implementation of review and rectification efforts.

The notice was issued after textual errors were recently found in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum's exhibition, drawing significant public concern. The administration says this notice is issued to draw broader lessons from such incidents and to strengthen the content review process for museum exhibitions.