Back to the Future: Wi-Fi to Become Available at the Forbidden City

Shortly after announcing that the Forbidden City will be opening up 75 percent more of the palace by the end of this year, one of the world's most famous historic sites now plans to move into the 21st century as well. The tourist attraction will trial 200 Wi-Fi hotspots, so that visitors can stay connected at not only at resting and dining areas but also from within the exhibition halls of the Palace Museum itself.

An August 18 article on The Nanfang details the plan, and said the wireless internet will be available via a 'PalaceMuseum-WiFi' login on WeChat or through an SMS verification. And while history buffs might be left aghast at the thought of visitors staring at their screens and missing out on the aged artefacts before their very eyes, spokespeople for the tourist site say that the availability of WiFi will actually enhance attendee's educational experience, instead of distracting from it. The Nanfang adds: "With the introduction of WiFi, the museum hopes to provide visitors with better access to its exhibitions and creative cultural products, as well as engage visitors in interactive games and treasure hunt activities."

According to The China Daily visitors can even give feedback about the Wi-Fi's quality by emailing WiFi@dpm.org.cn. Many visitors are sure to take advantage of this new high tech convenience, given the fact that, according to a recent post by historian Jeremiah Jenne: "three new areas will open later this year, so that by the end of 2016, almost 75 percent of the palace will be open to visitors compared to the two-thirds currently accessible to the general public."

Still, this new tech-friendly stance is quite different from a 2015 policy that banned selfie sticks from the historic site, though many people deemed that ruling to be understandable because of safety concerns. However, the public perhaps shouldn't be surprised that a modern convenience like Wi-Fi would be available at The Forbidden City – after all, the site's aged drainage system proved to be far ahead of its time during last month's downpour, even as more supposedly state of the art plumbing across town failed to prevent flooding.

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
WeChat: 13263495040

Photos: Business Insider, Xinhua, BBC