China Grand Canal Culture Exhibition Hall

China Grand Canal Culture Exhibition Hall

The Beijing-Hangzhou International Convention Center, serving as the permanent venue for the World Canals Expo, is located in the core area of Guangling New City — within the Beijing-Hangzhou Water Bay. It lies immediately to the west of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and borders Wenchang Bridge to the north. The total construction area of the convention center is approximately 16,000 square meters. The China Grand Canal Culture Exhibition Hall is located on the third floor of the Beijing-Hangzhou International Convention Center. It opened to the public in September 2011, with a total area of about 855 square meters.

The exhibition hall features the "Timeless Flow – China Grand Canal Culture Exhibition," which comprehensively showcases the historical culture and humanistic charm of 35 cities along the Grand Canal. It highlights the historical significance and important role of the ancient city of Yangzhou in the long history of the canal. The exhibition is mainly divided into six sections: History, Navigation, Exchange, Cities, Heritage, and World Heritage Application. It explores the Grand Canal from both the “historical” and “regional” dimensions, extracting visual and thematic elements that reflect the canal’s splendor based on canal-related artifacts, paintings, and historical documents. The layout uses a perfect combination of color and lighting techniques, and enhances visitor engagement through VR technology and interactive floor projections. Additionally, it employs painting, lighting, sound, stage design, audiovisual panels, and dynamic diorama displays to strengthen the visual impact.

The Grand Canal Culture Exhibition Hall has become another iconic representation of Yangzhou. It serves as a platform for dialogue with the world’s canal civilizations, and has made significant contributions to fostering exchanges, mutual enrichment, and shared development between Yangzhou and canal cities around the globe.