Shan Jixiang, curator of Beijing's Palace Museum, announced tough measures against smoking in the home to generations of Chinese emperors spanning five centuries.

The measures include forbidding employees to smoke in the museum.

Shan said he once picked up more than 1,000 cigarette butts in one day at the museum, also known as Forbidden City.

The museum is now implementing an ambitious 8-year safety project to better protect 170,000 square meters of wooden structure and 1.8 million-piece collection.

Shan also said the museum will open more parts of previously closed areas to the public.

"Our aim is to open 76 percent of the total museum."