Museums in Nanjing open for night visits

A night at the museum. The city of Nanjing in east China has taken a leaf out of Hollywood's book and opened many of its museums and cultural attractions to visitors at night. And it's proving to be quite a refreshing experience.

This is the Jiangnan Examination Hall. It was built for the imperial examinations that decided who would serve the emperor and governors in ancient China. Known as a place of tranquility, the hall is now a very popular tourist destination.

The hall is right next to the Confucius Temple. Confucius was the role model for all Confucians who took the exam. Here is an installation portraying what the exams were like.

"The area near the Confucius temple has a very special atmosphere. It is steeped in culture and tradition, which is why the examination hall and the temple are huge attractions here, it's great that they are open day and night," folk culture expert Wang Changxing said.

Only a handful of museums are open during the night in China, but experts are calling for more to follow Nanjing's lead.

"I think night-time visits should go beyond recreation and eating snacks. Museums should think about creating a more informative and time-efficient experience," Wang said.

One of the challenges with adopting a night-time schedule is the issue of maintenance fees. But with more museums considering an extended-hours policy, it may prove to be surmountable barrier.