Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum

Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum

The Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum serves as a base for science education.

The Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum was established in October 1985, with a construction area of 10,119 square meters. It was one of the ten major celebratory projects for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous region. Since its completion, the museum has played an important role in improving the scientific and cultural literacy of people of all ethnic groups, especially young people, and in promoting academic prosperity through science popularization and academic exchange activities.

The Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum was established in October 1985, with a construction area of 10,119 square meters. It was one of the ten major celebratory projects for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous region. Since its completion, the museum has played an important role in improving the scientific and cultural literacy of people of all ethnic groups, especially young people, and in promoting academic prosperity through science popularization and academic exchange activities.

Entering the new century, to better serve the vast number of scientific and technological workers and people of all ethnic groups, the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the People’s Government decided to renovate and expand the Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum, designating it as a key infrastructure project for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the autonomous region. The renovation and expansion project commenced in April 2005 and was completed in July 2008. The new building of the Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum covers a construction area of 26,602 square meters, including 11,117 square meters for exhibition halls, 8,609 square meters for conference and training facilities, 3,663 square meters for office space, and 3,213 square meters for auxiliary facilities (including equipment transfer floors, underground garages, lobbies, etc.). According to the plans reviewed and approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission, the total investment in the project was 121.95 million yuan.

In accordance with the requirements of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the People’s Government that the new Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum be built into a comprehensive, modern scientific venue, the Autonomous Region Association for Science and Technology adhered to innovative construction concepts, striving to highlight Xinjiang’s unique features, promote shared construction and resources, and develop the museum in an open manner. After three years of effort, a new museum that meets the national "Standards for the Construction of Science and Technology Museums" was completed. It integrates science education exhibitions, academic exchanges, and technological training, fully reflecting the characteristics of Xinjiang’s science and technology culture, and featuring multifunctionality and modernity.

I. Innovative Construction Concepts Highlighting Xinjiang’s Characteristics

After repeated deliberations by experts, the new Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum was expanded and renovated on the original site, with reinforcement of the foundation and preservation of the main building structure. First, the original main building was not demolished, which saved a large amount of construction materials, reduced costs, and minimized solid construction waste, aligning with energy-saving and environmental protection requirements. Second, during the renovation and expansion, multiple new technologies and techniques were employed, such as steel plate bonding, carbon fiber reinforcement, shotcrete reinforcement, anchor welding reinforcement, steel sleeve cold extrusion, and steel structure floor jacking. These methods presented technical challenges and structural complexities rarely seen in China, ensuring the full utilization of the original structure and the quality of the project. Third, strictly following the national "Standards for the Construction of Science and Technology Museums," the building incorporated environmentally friendly and energy-efficient designs in aspects such as the three-corner and four-corner structures, window lighting, exterior wall insulation, and underfloor heating. To fully reflect Xinjiang’s science and technology cultural identity, we broke from conventional museum construction approaches by establishing a concept of shared construction and resource sharing. The Autonomous Region People’s Government issued the "Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum Donation Measures," which received positive responses and strong support from all sectors of society, forming a new pattern where the Association for Science and Technology takes the lead while social forces jointly participate in museum construction. The Autonomous Region Association for Science and Technology signed donation agreements with various entities, including the Autonomous Region Department of Water Resources, Health Department, Meteorological Bureau, Communications Administration (China Telecom Xinjiang Branch, China Mobile Xinjiang Branch, China Unicom Xinjiang Branch, Autonomous Region Postal Company), Surveying and Mapping Bureau, Public Security Fire Brigade, and PetroChina Xinjiang Oilfield Company, to jointly build exhibition halls such as the Fire Science Popularization Hall, Human and Health Hall, Communications Technology Hall, Xinjiang Meteorological Technology Hall, Surveying and Mapping Geographic Information Hall, Human-Water Harmony Hall, and Petroleum Technology Hall, covering a total joint construction area of 2,158 square meters and receiving donated investments of 16.56 million yuan. The China Association for Science and Technology donated 1 million yuan for the purchase of exhibits, and the Xinjiang Third Machine Tool Factory also contributed exhibits. This approach—driven by government initiatives, supported by societal participation, and focused on the shared construction and utilization of science popularization resources—received high praise from the China Association for Science and Technology and widespread attention from provinces, regions, and municipalities.

II. Adhering to Standards: Integrating Science Education, Academic Exchange, and Technological Training

In line with Xinjiang’s realities, from design to construction, we adhered to the national "Standards for the Construction of Science and Technology Museums," striving to build the new Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum into a comprehensive, multifunctional, and modern scientific venue. In terms of construction area composition, the new museum’s exhibition halls and conference/training areas both meet the national standards for provincial-level science museums. Its functions—science education, academic exchange, and technological training—are comprehensive, equipped with advanced facilities, as well as remote education and network management systems. It can meet the public’s, especially young people’s, needs for science education, as well as the requirements for hosting various domestic and international academic conferences and technological training sessions.

1. Exhibition Hall Construction with the Theme of “Resources, Innovation, Practice”: The museum not only displays classic exhibits of basic sciences from domestic and international technological development but also fully showcases the current status and trends of technological advancement in Xinjiang’s leading industries. The exhibition hall has four floors: the first floor is for temporary exhibitions, featuring not only science mini-theaters and science culture spaces but also mainly introducing key touring exhibitions from domestic and international science museums. For example, starting now, the new museum will host the large-scale Olympic science interactive experience exhibition “Science Fulfills Dreams, Harmony Welcomes the Olympics,” as well as the Japan Future Museum’s major thematic exhibition “The Living Environment of 6.5 Billion People.” The second floor is the Science Park Hall, mainly including sections like the Virtual World, Audiovisual Paradise, and Cradle of Designers. The third and fourth floors are the Hall of Light of Xinjiang’s Industrial Technology, covering topics such as the petroleum industry, human-water harmony, communications technology, meteorological technology, surveying and mapping geographic information, human health, and fire science.

2. Comprehensive Academic Exchange Functions with First-Class Facilities: The new museum has 19 meeting rooms of various types, accommodating between 40 and 400 people, with a total capacity of 1,200 people. The 118 autonomous region-level academic societies under the Autonomous Region Association for Science and Technology—covering science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and interdisciplinary fields—can hold annual academic conferences, science forums, academic salons, and scientific presentations year-round at the museum. Among them: the second-floor academic lecture hall accommodates 400 people and is equipped with a four-channel simultaneous interpretation system to meet international conference requirements. It also houses a 4D cinema for professional, high-tech science education.

3. Strong Technological Training Functions as a Base for Continuing Education: In addition to various meeting rooms, the new museum has 12 specialized training classrooms that can accommodate 600 to 800 trainees simultaneously. The main building includes a training center that can provide food and lodging for over 200 people. The completion of the new museum has resolved the long-standing issue of the 118 autonomous region-level academic societies lacking fixed venues for continuing education. It will also provide periodic training for cadres of science associations at all levels.

III. People-Oriented: Building a Home for Scientific Workers

Building a home for scientific workers is a fundamental task of the Autonomous Region Association for Science and Technology. The completion of the new Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum will maximally serve and meet the needs of scientific workers of all ethnic groups.

1. Organizing and Mobilizing Scientific Workers to Serve the Overall Situation and Contribute to Economic and Social Development: With the deepening of the “Academic Activities of Academicians Across Tianshan” science-themed initiative, the working relationship between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Academician Affairs Bureau and the Autonomous Region Association for Science and Technology has grown increasingly close, with a growing number of academicians coming to Xinjiang to conduct work. After consultations with the CAS Academician Affairs Bureau, it was decided to establish the “CAS Academician Consultation Xinjiang Workstation” at the Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum, leveraging its advantages to provide comprehensive services for academicians and experts conducting science consultation activities in Xinjiang. This provides foundational conditions for realizing the autonomous region’s goal of “establishing a long-term cooperation mechanism between Xinjiang and academicians/experts.”

2. Serving Scientific Workers in Conducting Domestic and International Academic Exchanges, Continuing Education, and Promoting Academic Prosperity and Talent Growth: The museum widely promotes the outstanding contributions of excellent scientific workers to Xinjiang. Regular networking events for scientific workers are held to strengthen ties with them, reflect their opinions and needs, and strive to build a harmonious scientific community.

3. Serving to Improve the Scientific Literacy of the Public: The museum regularly holds science and technology lectures and science popularization events, open to the entire public, to disseminate scientific knowledge and ideas, fostering a social atmosphere that values, loves, and utilizes science.

The completion of the new Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum is the result of the high attention of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the People’s Government, as well as strong support from all sectors of society. Throughout the construction process, we strictly adhered to design standards and construction procedures. After the museum’s opening, we will continue to operate under the correct leadership of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the People’s Government, striving to serve regional economic development, improve the scientific literacy of the public, and support scientific workers. We will manage and make the best use of the museum to maximize its benefits, establishing the Xinjiang Science and Technology Museum as a true home for scientific workers and a hall of science.