XI'AN, May 18 -- Museums in China logged 1.29 billion visits in 2023, surpassing the figures of previous years, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

The figures were unveiled on Saturday at an event marking International Museum Day in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The administration said that throughout 2023, museums in China hosted more than 40,000 exhibitions and over 380,000 educational events.

In 2023, 268 museums were newly registered in China, bringing the total number of museums in the country to 6,833. The country is also expanding its free-entry policy, with over 90 percent of all museums now offering free admission.