[Photo via VCG]

To greet the arrival of the summer holidays, Beijing's Nanhaizi Elk Garden Museum has extended its opening hours and temporarily cancelled its reservation system.

The museum has also installed automatic coffee machines and erected sunshades in its grounds.

Starting from today until August 31, the garden's opening hours are 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays, except for statutory holidays), with advance booking no longer required.

As a "national second-level museum," the Elk Garden has regularly run seasonal research and educational activities and nighttime science activities in recent years.

The museum has also pioneered special courses like "Mi Dou Takes You to Nature Study Courses", and organized elk-themed science plays in schools, attracting praise from residents and tourists alike.

The Elk Garden was rated as one of the top three bird-watching spots in the city in the 2023 Beijing Bird Watching Guide.

With the number of visitors increasing daily, the garden has also made full use of new media platforms to tell the story of the elk, launching a "Cloud Tour of the Elk Garden" mini-program, which allows citizens to explore the Elk Garden from home.