Whale exhibit will be one of new museum's highlights

The National Museum of Natural History's new pavilion will be open to the public in 2029 with a majestic sperm whale specimen poised to captivate visitors with the wonders of the natural world, according to the museum.

Located along the south of Beijing's Central Axis, the new pavilion is designed to cover a total area of 57,700 square meters, awaiting the remarkable centerpiece — the 17.1-meter-long, 38.77-metric-ton exhibit.

The whale was found dead at a stranded beach on Changxing Island in Dalian, Liaoning province. The sperm whale is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and a first-class protected animal under China's wildlife conservation law.

With the whale's corpse well-preserved, authorities in Liaoning and Dalian transferred its carcass to the National Museum of National History on Feb 28.

To realize its "rebirth" as a specimen to help scientists and the public better define and understand the endangered species, an expert team was established by the museum. They have worked out a taxidermy plan to prepare, mold and mount the deceased creature, which may take a long time due its size and the sophisticated processing methods.

With a collection of more than 372,000 historical and current specimens, the new facility will play an essential role in scientific research, develop diversified learning programs and deepen international communication, according to the museum.