China's Science Center Popular

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 ◆ China's Science Center Popular

Thousands of Chinese flock to China Science and Technology Exhibition Center to catch up with the latest sci-tech development, outnumbering travelers to famous scenic spots, reported Tuesday's Beijing Youth Daily. Statistics cited by the newspaper show the number of visitors to the Beijing-based center amounted to 1.4 million last year since the second phase of the center was completed. The figure surged to 610,000 in the first half of this year. The record high came on July 20 when it registered more than 22,000 people from around the country. Some 400 travel agencies have signed contracts with the center to include the visit in their Beijing tour package. The visit is also on the agenda of summer camps for students. A young father traveling from the Xinjing Uygur Autonomous Region said his daughter was immensely interested in robot bands and other appealing exhibits. Curator Wang Yusheng said he was happy to see the increasing public interest in science and technology. The two phases of the center's expansion are not able to satisfy the demand, said Wang. He said he hoped that a new site with 120,000 square meters (143,523 square yards) of floor space in the Olympic Park will help.