The new China Science and Technology Museum, a main supplement facility to the 2008 Olympic Games, will finish in May 2008, according to China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) Saturday.

The new museum, located in the Olympic Park in north Beijing and will be run by CAST, covers an area of 48,000 square meters, said Song Nanping, official with the CAST.

The construction started in May 2006 with an investment of 1.09 billion yuan (U.S.$144.94 million).

During the Olympic Games, the museum will host a big exhibition on inventions made by ancient Chinese to "display the wonderful scientific and technical achievements of ancient China to guests across the world," Song said.

After the games, the museum will prepare for full operation and open to public in October 2009, he said.

The new museum will have an exhibition area of 31,000 square meters with five main parts, including one specially for kids under 10 years old.

"The museum will be the biggest of this kind that targets common people and try to promote their knowledge and awareness of science," Song said.

The present museum will be handed over to the Beijing government two years after the new one is put into use.

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2007)