During the New Policies period of the Late Qing Dynasty (1901-1911), Beijing witnessed the first minor upsurge in the independent establishment of museums by Chinese since 1840, with museum establishment in the region exhibiting distinct local characteristics. To implement the new policies, the Qing government mobilized “national efforts” within a short period, extensively soliciting collections both domestically and internationally. It established three “collecting the new” museums in Beijing, aimed at promoting industrial improvement, broadening public knowledge, and serving as models for museum establishment nationwide. To some extent, the identity of the political center has led to a homogeneity in the types of museums and their founding entities within the region. Since the establishment of the museum by Chinese, museums in the Beijing region have always been closely linked to national political development, shouldering significant political and cultural missions. Museums in Beijing-particularly state-administered museums-extended beyond local service to actively undertake national missions: shaping the national image, transmitting central government directives, and providing a model for the construction of museums nationwide.
Yuting Xie (2025) studied this question.