Palace Museum demolishes makeshift structures

Workers demolish a makeshift building at the Palace Museum. (File photo/Chinanews.com)

The Palace Museum in Beijing has been dismantling makeshift buildings as part of a landscaping project, museum director Shan Jixiang said on Thursday.

During past decades, 14,800 square meters of makeshift structures were built in the museum grounds, including 59 prefabs covering some 3,600 square meters.

The museum has spent three years demolishing the prefabs which were used as dining halls, offices and warehouses. The last was dismantled last month, said the director.

"By next February, the museum will only have ancient buildings and restored ancient buildings approved by the UNESCO, and no modern construction will be found," he said.

During the past three years, the museum has adopted a set of measures to improve the environment, including banning smoking, installing chairs, removing weeds, and replacing the cement and asphalt paths with traditional brick and stone, according to Shan.