Since the beginning of this year, our museum has taken implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China as its main focus, fully carrying out the decisions and guidelines from the Third Plenary Session of the 10th Provincial Party Committee, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 12th Municipal Party Committee, and the city’s “Two Sessions.” With a clear emphasis on the goal of "building a high-quality, resilient, modern Baoding on the new path of Chinese-style modernization," our museum has achieved significant progress in all areas of work. The following is a summary of our accomplishments:

I. 2023 First-Half Work Summary

1. Activate innovative presentation methods and build a digital, intelligent system

Based on rigorous historical facts, the exhibit tells its story in a focused and concise manner, leveraging innovative tech-driven media tools while emphasizing an immersive, interactive experience that sets it apart. This approach has resulted in a 400-square-meter immersive exhibition hall, thoughtfully designed with tailor-made classic content to fully engage visitors. The space also offers a variety of multi-sensory, hands-on activities, allowing audiences to dive deeper into the exhibits and truly savor the joy of immersive storytelling. Meanwhile, key infrastructure projects have been successfully completed, including the construction of the smart system for the exhibition hall, the intelligent command-and-control system, the dedicated portal website, the advanced ticketing system, as well as the robust computer network, server room, and comprehensive video surveillance setup. These achievements highlight the museum’s growing strength and appeal in the digital and智能化 era.

2. Historic building restoration, optimizing the environment

In the first half of the year, the renovation and restoration project at the Zhili Governor's Office officially launched its oil painting and decorative arts conservation initiative. Laboratory and on-site testing were conducted to evaluate and select optimal protective materials for both the ground coating and painted decorations. Additionally, experts from the Heritage Institute were invited to carry out trial studies and engineering demonstrations focusing on techniques such as re-adhering hollowed areas and softening hardened surfaces in the ground coating and paintwork—along with comprehensive assessments of the conservation outcomes. Building on these efforts, the project systematically analyzed and summarized the tested materials and conservation methods, resulting in the development of a robust, fully integrated operational process tailored specifically for preserving oil paintings and decorative arts. According to statistics, the project successfully completed 3,801.96 square meters of new oil painting work, 567.5 square meters of new decorative painting, and protected an additional 1,211.03 square meters of existing decorative art. Throughout the project, all conservation, restoration, and surrounding environmental improvements were carried out strictly in accordance with the preservation principles of "prioritizing protection, emphasizing rescue efforts, promoting rational utilization, and strengthening management"—all while ensuring that the original state of the cultural heritage remains intact. This approach aims to preserve the historical authenticity and architectural character of the Zhili Governor's Office as faithfully and comprehensively as possible.

3. Reconstruct the site, ensure efficient use, and enhance basic infrastructure.

(1) The renovation project of the former Hebei Provincial Government Office Building has been completed and is now open to the public. As part of the renovation plan for the historic site, we’ve designed an immersive cultural leisure area, interactive exhibition halls, a cultural and creative product store, a 1950s-style reading space, educational workshops, a showcase highlighting the museum’s prized collection of artifacts, and temporary exhibition spaces. These features not only recreate the architectural style of the early days of the nation but also provide visitors with opportunities to deepen their cultural understanding while enjoying moments of relaxation and enrichment—meeting their growing need for leisure and spiritual fulfillment. At the same time, this project has significantly enhanced the museum’s physical infrastructure as part of our broader initiative to elevate the institution’s overall facilities and visitor experience.

(2) Completed the exhibition design and installation for "Qing Dynasty Military Council Special Exhibition: Li Hongzhang's Staff," "Qing Dynasty Military Council Special Exhibition: Zeng Guofan's Staff," and "Qing Dynasty Military Council Special Exhibition: Shiyao Display," ensuring they are ready for public opening during the May Day holiday.

4. Focus on developing flagship volunteer service projects

(1) To better fulfill the various functions of the Governor-General’s Mansion Museum, volunteer services will be normalized and institutionalized. Under the leadership of the Bureau Party Committee and the Bureau Youth League Committee, and with support from universities stationed in Baoding, the Baoding Zhili Governor-General’s Mansion Museum has launched the youth volunteer service brand “Friends of the Museum,” which includes eight sub-projects: the “Zhili Culture Explorers Social Science Service Project,” the “Cultural Heritage Conservation and Utilization Service Project,” the “Volunteer Docent Service Project,” the “Zhili New Youth Specialty Volunteer Service Project,” the “Zhili New Media Promotion Service Project,” the “Zhili Academy Youth Study Tour Service Project,” the “Zhili Winter and Summer Special Social Practice Program,” and the “Foreign Languages Speak About the Zhili Governor-General’s Mansion” initiative. Currently, with the exception of the Zhili Winter and Summer Special Social Practice Program—which has yet to kick off—all other projects are already underway and have yielded excellent results.

(2) The "Zhili Academy" volunteer service project currently offers a series of courses, including child protection against harm, science education, mental health awareness for minors, legal and rights-based public awareness, environmental care, basic first aid training, and financial fraud prevention. The project has established deep collaborative partnerships with several universities, including Hebei University, North China Electric Power University, the Central Institute of Judicial Police, Baoding College, Hebei Financial College, and Baoding Vocational & Technical College, and has officially signed cooperation agreements with these institutions. Additionally, schools such as the Baoding Vocational Education Center, Baoding Women’s Vocational Secondary School, and Baoding No. 2 Vocational High School have designated our museum as their educational base. Meanwhile, we’ve also forged cooperative relationships with primary and secondary schools like Hongxing Road Primary School, Yude Middle School, Weisheng Road Primary School, Yonghua South Road Primary School, and Baoding No. 7 Middle School. As of now, the Zhili Academy project has successfully conducted 15 sessions, reaching nearly 1,000 participants. The influence of the Zhili Academy education platform continues to grow steadily, and moving forward, our museum will remain committed to strengthening this initiative, contributing significantly to the development of future generations.

5. Preserving culture to foster a positive social atmosphere

A series of large-scale events were held to mark the museum's 30th anniversary, coinciding with major international festivals such as International Museum Day, World Tourism Day, and Cultural & Heritage Day. These activities not only celebrated the museum's milestone but also played a vital role in preserving intangible cultural heritage. Highlights included a performance of the classic Hebei Bangzi opera "Butterfly Cup" at the Governor's Mansion, an engaging public awareness exhibition on drug prevention hosted right there, and a special event showcasing how technological innovation can inspire and guide future aspirations. Each of these initiatives received widespread acclaim from audiences and earned high praise from peers in the field.

5. Focus on fire safety and security, and strengthen and improve both hardware facilities and the management system.

(1) Based on our museum's specific circumstances, we have revised and recompiled the following emergency plans for 2023 through internal reviews and expert assessments from our pool of specialists: the "Baoding Zhili Governor's Office Museum Emergency Response Plan for Production Safety Accidents," the "Baoding Zhili Governor's Office Museum Fire Prevention and Emergency Evacuation Plan," the "Baoding Zhili Governor's Office Museum Social Security Incident Plan," the "Baoding Zhili Governor's Office Museum On-Site Response Plan for Production Safety Accidents," and the "Baoding Zhili Governor's Office Museum Flood Control Plan." These updated plans ensure that we are prepared for a wide range of emergencies, strengthening our theoretical foundation for effective prevention.

(2) Strengthen training and learning to enhance individual safety awareness.

In the first half of the year, our museum conducted two sessions of safety production and fire safety training. Professional safety officers delivered practical, real-world case-based training to department staff, enhancing their awareness of safety and responsibility while reinforcing the principle of putting people and lives first. This ensured that safety remained the top priority and that all safety responsibilities were rigorously implemented. Additionally, we watched the promotional documentary "Life is Precious as Mount Tai" multiple times, providing a solid theoretical foundation for our safety training initiatives. On March 29 this year, our team actively participated in a city-wide training program organized by the Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, aimed at improving the qualifications and skills of safety management personnel across cultural and museum institutions. During the training, participants enthusiastically absorbed key theoretical knowledge and mastered essential techniques for handling various emergency situations. Following the course, everyone successfully passed a comprehensive safety knowledge exam, demonstrating their ability to apply what they’d learned effectively in real-world scenarios. As a result, our staff earned the "Certificate of Completion for Safety Production Training," officially qualifying them to work with the required safety credentials on the job.

II. Work Plan for the Second Half of 2023

1. Complete the Governor's Mansion renovation and upgrade project (a continuation project funded by special bonds), ensuring full opening before the Baoding City Cultural and Tourism Development Conference.

2. Advance the efforts to establish a national second-level museum;

3. Advance all volunteer service initiatives and focus on building our museum's distinctive brand.

4. Plan a 300-year anniversary event series for the Zhili Governor-General's Office; and continue refining the comprehensive theme activities celebrating the museum's 30th anniversary.

5. Strengthen cultural heritage protection awareness and enhance the quality of security personnel.