Last week, the MARQ museum welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors during its open-door weekend for International Museum Day, returning to strong attendance levels seen in the past. The event highlighted the museum’s evolving appeal and its ongoing international exhibition, which will continue through January 2024 in the three temporary rooms and the adjacent Library area.
Among the featured experiences is a curated display titled Warriors of Xi’an, comprising 120 original fragments sourced from nine Chinese museums and institutions. The installation blends careful curatorial design with sensory elements that invite immersion through varied scents and thoughtfully prepared educational materials that are accessible to audiences of all ages. Meanwhile, the MARQ online store now offers original objects tied to the exhibition and a comprehensive catalog collection that showcases significant specimens the museum has acquired or studied over its history.
A colossal Xi’an warrior on the Esplanade
With attendance exceeding a thousand visitors per day during the opening phase, the museum’s leadership highlighted the extraordinary draw of this exhibition, calling it a standout, globally unique experience and one of the most visited in the country this season. In a bold public installation, a monumental Xi’an warrior statue will soon be unveiled along Paseo de la Explanada in Alicante. The piece, designed by a renowned local artist, stands at eleven meters tall and is set to become a major cultural landmark promoting the exhibition. The sculpture is planned to remain in place for ten months, aligning with permissions granted by Chinese authorities for temporary outdoor display; this period is intended to maximize visibility while protecting the integrity of the original artifacts. The project underscores the collaboration between international institutions and the city as part of a broader cultural exchange program. [Citation]