A large Chinese museum has decided to organize cat nights. How Meow Night works

They certainly won’t be able to say that there were four cats at the museum, because they will expect many more: in fact, there is a museum in China that has come up with the gimmick of inviting cats into its halls. It is the Shanghai Museum , which, on July 18, will open an exhibit dedicated to ancient Egypt, entitled On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt, offering feline owners the chance to take a tour of the museum along with their four-legged friend.

Cats at the museum, then, but only at certain times. The Shanghai Museum will reserve ten Saturday evenings for cats starting July 27, limiting the number of visitors for Saturday night cat-friendly sessions to 2,000, about half the quota of previous evening sessions. Not everyone can bring a cat, however, as the museum has set the limit for feline visitors at 200 per session. While visiting the exhibition, participants will be able to take photos with their pets in the specially designed “Cat Temple” area of the Secrets of Saqqara exhibition hall. They will also be able to enjoy dedicated activities. Each participant will also receive an exclusive limited edition personalized “Meow Night” magnet. Participants who bring their pet cats will also have the opportunity to receive special feline-themed cultural gifts.

It will reportedly be a first for a museum in the world: the Shanghai Museum said it has “consulted professionals, conducted extensive research and taken all possible measures to ensure the safety of cultural relics and a positive experience for museum visitors.”

The exhibition, which opens July 18, will be the largest showcase of Egyptian art in China. It is the first exhibition of ancient Egyptian art curated by Chinese scholars and researchers, will run for 13 months and feature 788 objects selected from the collection of seven Egyptian museums and archaeological institutions. Among the highlights of the exhibition will be artifacts found at the site of Saqqara near Cairo, where the ruins of a temple dedicated to the cat-like goddess Bastet were discovered. “In ancient Egypt, Bastet was widely recognized as a symbol of spirituality and protection,” said Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum. “Egyptian admiration for Bastet goes beyond time and space, coinciding with people’s affection for the feline companion today. As part of the new initiatives for the exhibition, we have decided to host regular evening sessions for cat lovers for 10 consecutive Saturday evenings, starting July 27.”

“We will have an insurance policy for each cat,” the director added, “and there will be medical staff, veterinarians and other pet professionals on standby during the evening. In case a cat escapes, well-trained professionals with the proper tools will be able to catch it in time.”

Other services will be available, such as pet strollers, sedation for stressed cats, and a cat kennel. The museum has even activated partnerships with airlines to facilitate the introduction of flights that accept pets. “We will make sure,” concluded Li Feng, deputy director of the museum, “that the exhibition space is properly cleaned and disinfected, so that the next morning visitors will not have to worry about allergies or other health problems.”

A large Chinese museum has decided to organize cat nights. How Meow Night works

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.