A batch of museums and parks will be built or opened in Beijing this year, the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau said Sunday.

The construction of a branch of the Capital Museum, featuring the ancient Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, is scheduled to be completed in Tongzhou District, Beijing's sub-center, and will open to the public by the end of this year.

A demonstration area for the protection and utilization of the national historical and cultural heritage sites of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens," will also be completed. The sites include many historical cultural sites, including royal gardens from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

A museum reconstruction project will be implemented at the Dabaotai tomb site, dating to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 25), while the construction of the Liulihe national archaeological park will be launched this year.

Chen Mingjie, director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, said that the capital has 215 registered museums, with nearly 500 exhibitions and activities held throughout last year.