Ming at the museum

British Museum exhibition Ming: 50 Years that Changed China was the largest Chinese cultural heritage show in the museum's history and a successful example of the growing cooperation between museums in China and the United Kingdom. [Photo/Agencies]

The museum has come up with a number of ideas for exhibitions about Chinese history, but Harrison-Hall says it will take five years to prepare for another such exhibition, and hints that one potential theme for the next major project may be Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) paintings.

With about 25,000 pieces of Chinese cultural relics housed at the British Museum, the institution has gone beyond simply organizing exhibitions. A tour of Ming ceramics, for instance, is currently touring primary schools in Britain. The yearlong project to promote Chinese history will end in May.

"If people learn about Egyptian, Greek and Roman culture through education, we should also include more about ancient China in history curriculum," Harrison-Hall says, adding that Chinese language lessons at British schools is not enough for students to gain an understanding of China.

Harrison-Hall was an adviser for the film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, set in the British Museum to ensure the film was accurate in its use of Chinese heritage. Harrison-Hall knows it is important to explore entertaining ways to promote Chinese history among the public.

The National Museum of China has worked with the British Museum on a book about Chinese relics kept by the London museum. The book will be published in 2016.