German city of Gotha to strengthen cultural exchanges with China

BERLIN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Ducal Museum in the central German city of Gotha plans to deepen its cooperation with Chinese cultural institutions, the Friedenstein Foundation Gotha, which oversees the museum, announced on Monday.

According to the foundation, discussions are underway for an exhibition featuring artworks from the Palace Museum in Beijing, to be held in Gotha in 2027. A reciprocal exhibition showcasing treasures from Gotha's collections in Beijing could follow in 2028.

The planned cooperation builds on Gotha's ongoing partnership with the Xi'an Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Their joint exhibition, "China's Gold and Gotha's Treasures -- A Unique Encounter," is currently running at the Ducal Museum and will continue until January 2026.

Under a cooperation agreement between the two institutions, selected masterpieces from Gotha's collections will travel to Xi'an next year for a return exhibition, featuring valuable artifacts once owned by the dukes of Gotha.

Established on Oct. 10, 1925, the Palace Museum was founded on the grounds of the Forbidden City, the former imperial palaces of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It opened to the public for the first time later that year, showcasing its priceless imperial art collections.

In 2009, annual attendance at the museum surpassed 10 million for the first time, with visitor numbers exceeding 17.6 million in 2024.