An underwater window into two civilizations

The museum adopts an in-situ preservation strategy based on a proposal put forward by academician Ge Xiurun in 2001.

The plan involved enclosing the site within an elliptical metal structure through which filtered and purified river water circulates, preventing sediment from accumulating and reducing erosion while maintaining balanced water pressure inside and outside the enclosure. A submarine-like viewing corridor inside the protective structure allows visitors to see the inscriptions at close range while safeguarding the site for future generations.

Opened in 2009 after construction began in 2003, the Chongqing Baiheliang Underwater Museum is described by local authorities as the world's first underwater museum. It features a ground-level exhibition hall and an underwater viewing area, where visitors can see the ancient inscriptions through glass windows.

On Sept 9, Li You, a 43-year-old tourist from Anqing, Anhui province, visited with his family, marveling at the stone fish carvings and centuries-old inscriptions preserved underwater.

"We've long admired this historic city and came specifically to see this underwater museum," Li said, describing its design as futuristic. "Here, my family and I have witnessed how the ancients wisely observed and recorded the Yangtze's hydrology."