ZHENGZHOU, May 18 (Xinhua) -- A museum themed on the Grand Canal, a vast waterway connecting the northern and southern parts of China, opened to the public in Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province on Wednesday, the International Museum Day.

The museum, with a floor space of about 33,000 square meters, showcases nearly 400 cultural relics related to the Grand Canal of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties.

Interactive multimedia areas are also set up in the museum to help better illustrate the culture and charm of the Grand Canal to the public.

Construction of the Grand Canal of the Sui and Tang dynasties began in 605 AD. Luoyang, as the center and a hub city of the canal, still preserves a large number of precious heritage sites.

"We hope the exhibition can help refresh people's memories of the Grand Canal," said Ma Guozhe, head of the museum's publicity and education department.