[Photo via tuchong.com]

A museum showcasing the culture of the Grand Canal is expected to open in Beijing at the end of this year, with some 6,000 items or sets of exhibits related to Beijing and the ancient canal to be displayed in the collection.

The Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, also called the Capital Museum East Branch, is located in the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and has a total floor area of 99,700 square meters, said Feng Hao, who is in charge of museum collections at the Capital Museum.

With a daily capacity of 6,000 visitors, the new museum is designed to integrate vessel, sailing and water elements, showcasing the culture of the Grand Canal.

The exhibition area consists of basic exhibition, themed exhibition, open exhibition and temporary exhibition sections. Visitors can enjoy an interactive experience reflecting the themes of Beijing and the Grand Canal in the open exhibition section through digital technology, Feng said.

With a history spanning more than 2,500 years, the Grand Canal connects Beijing and Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, and it served as a significant transportation artery in ancient China.