A new museum of prehistoric animals, the Baoding branch of the Paleozoological Museum of China, opened in Baoding of north China's Hebei Province on Wednesday.

Covering an area of about eight hectares, it is one of the largest nature museums in Asia, with the aim to systematically extend the knowledge of paleontology, paleoecology, paleoanthropology and evolution.

Most of the 6,000 pieces of exhibits are from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. The institute will later transfer more precious fossil specimens stored in Beijing to Baoding in batches.

Among the exhibits are precious specimens, including the world's only complete skeleton of the Sinraptor, fossil of the earliest known jawed fish species called Xiushanosteus mirabilis, a rare three-dimensional preserved egg of the Hamipterus, specimen of China's renowned sauropod dinosaur known as Mamenchisaurus, and fossilized skull of the largest individual horse with the longest face, Equus eisenmannae.
"I was extremely overwhelmed as soon as I entered the museum, especially the Sinraptor I saw just now, so huge and so complete. The guide explained to us that it took scientists' painstaking efforts to restore this dinosaur. I have learned a lot here," said Cui Zhaoye, a primary school pupil.

"Each fossil, each exhibit here has witnessed the incredible evolution of life. For us who have a passion for biology, it is truly a fantastic experience," said Du Yue, a local visitor.