A policy shift in Shandong is turning museum artifacts into bestsellers. Since March 2025, provincial guidelines have allowed cultural institutions to keep 30 percent of their net profits from cultural and creative products for staff incentives, with the remaining 70 percent reinvested.

Various cultural and creative products inspired by Shandong museums' cultural relics. [Photo/Dazhong News]

This initiative has yielded positive results, with a surge in creativity and sales. From January to October last year, the province's 10 museums each generated over 10 million yuan ($1.44 million) in cultural and creative product sales, marking a significant increase in the sector.

Shandong Museum saw cultural and creative product revenues rise from 18 million yuan in 2024 to over 32 million yuan in 2025. The digital exhibition hall, featuring VR experiences like Ocean Adventure, generated 2 million yuan in just three months since its opening last July. Top sellers include plush toys based on the Ya Chou Bronze Battle-Axe.

Qingzhou Museum turned its treasured Zhuangyuan Scroll into an educational success, selling 20,000 copies last year. Shandong Art Museum expanded beyond souvenirs into ticketed exhibitions, such as the Dunhuang-themed digital art show and the exhibition of painter Qi Baishi's (1864–1957) works , boosting net income to 1.19 million yuan.

"Cultural creativity is about bringing heritage into daily life," said Zhang Xiaosong of Shandong Museum.