People flock to the Kuliang · Life on the Mountain Museum on July 1.

On July 1, the Kuliang · Life on the Mountain Museum in Fuzhou city, Fujian province, reopened after renovations, offering visitors a fresh immersive and interactive experience. 

The historic museum — rich in its collections showcasing the legacy of international friendships — now serves as a unique educational space for China-U.S. youth exchanges.

Originally built as a summer retreat residence for the Edward Pearce Hayes family, the early 20th-century structure features classic stone and wood architecture with design elements like Western-style fireplaces and wooden floors. 

Edward Pearce Hayes worked as a missionary to Fuzhou and its surrounding areas from 1921 to 1951, dedicating three decades to education, healthcare and church affairs in South China. He was also among the last missionaries to leave Fuzhou after 1949.

The villa is also significant to other families of the Kuliang Friends. Dr Ruth Hemenway, who worked at a hospital in Fuzhou, spent her summers here. Elyn MacInnis, who has dedicated herself to telling the "Kuliang Story" and promoting China-U.S. friendship, has made the villa her place of household registration.

In 2019, the Kuliang administrative committee teamed up with the Ancient House Revitalization Laboratory from East China University of Science and Technology to restore the villa — transforming it into the Kuliang · Life on the Mountain Museum. 

The museum displays hundreds of historical items donated by the Kuliang Friends, vividly depicting the lifestyle of foreign residents a century ago.

The upgraded museum now offers visitors a more engaging and interactive experience with family stories, reconstructed living scenes, interactive installations, digital media and AR experiences. Visitors can immerse themselves in early 20th-century life through activities like tea breaks and cooking demonstrations.

A representative of the Kuliang Tourist Resort explained that the museum will serve as a key venue for China-U.S. youth educational exchanges. By leveraging its rich history and digital features, it will host cultural experiences and themed activities — helping young people to appreciate the “Kuliang Story” and continue the longstanding China-U.S. friendship that the story has inspired.