Foochow Arsenal culture park becomes cultural tourism magnet in Fuzhou

Photo shows a view of the Foochow Arsenal culture park in Mawei district, Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo provided by the Museum of Foochow Arsenal 1866)

As dawn breaks over Mawei district in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, visitors from across the country queue outside the Foochow Arsenal culture park before the gates open. Students from a middle school in the city crane their necks for a glimpse of the No. 1 Shipyard of the Foochow Arsenal, or Fuzhou Chuanzheng in Chinese. This cradle of China's modern navy now welcomes tourists with renewed vigor.

"The history of the Foochow Arsenal from our textbooks has come alive," said Huang Yafang, a teacher, standing with her students before the century-old shipyard towering 20 meters high. "It seems that you can almost hear the clang of hammers, the blast of ship horns, and our forebears' call to forge a path toward maritime strength," Huang added.

The park's origins date back to 1866, when the Foochow Arsenal was established as China's earliest modern naval defense institution. In 2001, the State Council designated the Foochow Arsenal building complex as a national key cultural relic protection site. Between 2012 and 2022, Fuzhou implemented a three-phase restoration plan to restore the site as closely as possible to its original state, systematically protecting existing facilities while developing the cultural brand.

In January 2023, the Foochow Arsenal culture park officially opened to the public. "The park integrates exhibitions, creative experiences, and cultural tourism into a 'museum complex' centered on Foochow Arsenal culture, military heritage, and maritime culture," said Lin Jie, who is in charge of the Museum of Foochow Arsenal 1866.

The museum was transformed from a former shipbuilding warehouse of the Foochow Arsenal in early 2022. The museum now houses over 1,000 cultural relics, including three classified as national first-class artifacts.

"The new museum incorporates the latest academic research and newly unearthed shipyard materials, presenting the concept and substance of Foochow Arsenal culture through direct visual displays for the first time — a treasure trove for history enthusiasts," Lin said.

During the first half of this year, the culture park welcomed approximately 740,000 tourist visits, generating over 30 million yuan (about $4.25 million) in cultural tourism spending. During the summer vacation, bookings for shipyard-themed tour routes surged 85 percent year on year.

"Young locals used to leave for opportunities elsewhere. Now many are returning to open B&Bs or work as tour guides," said a native of Mawei district surnamed Chen.

Since its debut in late 2023, a show themed on Foochow Arsenal culture has been performed over 800 times, winning widespread acclaim. Staged in a former machine repair workshop, the show represents a total investment of more than 200 million yuan and transforms more than 6,000 square meters of space.

"We employ holographic projection technology with integrated stage, seating, and theater design, bringing historical figures close to the audience," said Huang Hui, chief director of the show, adding that this immersive experience makes history tangible and palpable.

"When naval officers steered warships toward enemy vessels, everyone felt their hearts surge. This artistic presentation makes history profoundly moving," said a Beijing visitor surnamed Li after the performance.

The deepening integration of culture and tourism has driven consumption upgrades. Fuzhou has launched tour routes themed on Foochow Arsenal culture. "We've designed one-day, two-day, and other route options to meet different visitor needs," said the head of a Fuzhou-based travel agency.

Wei Min, a professor with the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Xiamen University, said that the Foochow Arsenal culture park has pioneered immersive cultural consumption experiences, offering valuable lessons for protecting industrial heritage sites, promoting integrated development of culture and tourism, and boosting consumer spending nationwide.

"We need not only to tell the Foochow Arsenal story well, but also to enrich cultural industry offerings, promoting high-quality, integrated development across culture, commerce, and tourism," said Liu Jiangyuan, director of the Foochow Arsenal culture management committee.