Release date: June 6, 2025

On the morning of June 5, the opening ceremony of the Beijing Museum Season – Science and Technology Month 2025 and the special exhibition “Harmony Through Time and Space: How Leonardo da Vinci Created Concord between His Artistic and Scientific World and the Natural World” was held at the Natural History Museum of China (NHMC). The fusion of nature, science & technology, culture, and art ignited dazzling sparks, offering the public a truly unique cultural experience.

At the opening ceremony, remarks were delivered by Yang Shuo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government; Tan Ping, Secretary of the CPC Committee and Director of the China Cultural Relics Exchange Center; and Ms. Cristina Corrisi, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Italy in China. The event gathered more than 200 participants, including directors of representative and influential museums from Finland, Kenya, and China, as well as experts, scholars, and representatives from technology enterprises.

Mr. Yang Shuo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government

Mr. Tan Ping, Secretary of the CPC Committee and Director of the China Cultural Relics Exchange Center

Ms. Cristina Corrisi, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Italy in China

The Beijing Museum Season – Science and Technology Month 2025 was co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee, and the People’s Governments of Haidian District and Shijingshan District. With the theme “Interactive Technology, Tangible History”, the event aims to promote the deep integration of technology and museums, foster innovation in museum technology applications, and build a strategic platform for transformation of scientific and technological achievements and cross-sector collaborative innovation. A wide range of museum technology showcase activities will be held, enabling the public to experience the fascination of “Museum + Technology.” For example, Pupu, an AI-powered virtual guide of Shijingshan District Museum, introduced the highlights of the Science and Technology Month to attending guests.

The special exhibition “Harmony Through Time and Space: How Leonardo da Vinci Created Concord between His Artistic and Scientific World and the Natural World” (hereafter “the Exhibition”) was officially unveiled alongside the Science and Technology Month opening ceremony at NHMC.

Mario Taddei, Director of the Leonardo da Vinci Academy

This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy. Jointly presented by NHMC and an Italian curatorial team, the Exhibition takes natural science as its point of departure and focuses on the artistic and scientific achievements of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci. From the perspectives of blending nature and technology and fostering dialogue and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations, the Exhibition creates an interdisciplinary narrative space designed to provide visitors with a fresh, cross-disciplinary exhibition experience. To enrich the scientific depth of the Exhibition, NHMC has selected approximately 70 exquisite specimens—including animals, plants, fossils, and minerals—for display. These specimens resonate with Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and complement reconstructed mechanical devices based on his inventions.

Following the opening of the Exhibition, NHMC will also host the Third Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development of Natural History Museums, themed “Natural History Museums and Science Communication”, at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center.