Struggling private museums face demolition, closure

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Several museums’ curators said ticket sales alone cannot cover operational costs, even with a tax exemption on those sales.

“We actually are engaged in a public welfare project. We hope to make full use of our private collections to make a contribution to society. But the shortage of funds means many private-run museums will eventually be forced to close,” Cui said.

Ma Zishu said that such museums in other countries come under the management of social organizations or foundations that help raise the necessary funds, and that the socialization of private museums is a trend.

While China did have a private museum founded in 1905 in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, the boom really began in 1997 when four Beijingers received museum licenses from the local authorities.

The country has 386 registered private museums, according to official statistics. At least 1,700 others remain unregistered.

Of Beijing’s first four private museums, only the Guanfu Art Museum is still in operation.

In February, the State Council issued its Statute on Museum Management, a regulation stating that “individuals, legal persons, and other organizations are encouraged to open and run museums.”

That may sound good, but no actual laws have been passed that could benefit private museums.

Private museums complement state-run museums, Ma Weidu said.

“They help keep alive the memory of certain cultural aspects of a city that the state museums may ignore. Private museums may not yield economic returns in the short term, but they contribute immensely to the wealth and diversity of local culture,” he said.

Some museums, founded by large corporations, are nonprofit institutions opened as part of their branding strategies. Others do profit, but the main motivation is to keep the museum running.

Yushengtang Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum, another licensed private museum, moved from the downtown area to north of North Sixth Ring Road in May seeking to cut costs.

While the drugstore, herbal medicine shop and antique collection firm has survived four centuries since the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911), the 11-year-old private museum founded in 1999 to exhibit medical instruments, books and ancient medicines is struggling.

“Many of the private museums are established simply because the founders want to share their passion with others. None of us thought about making a profit,” Bai Yang, director of the museum, said.

Bai said Yushengtang has established a close cooperation with the Beijing Municipal Government to assist in cultural exchange events by sending pieces from its collection abroad.