CHENGDU, April 6 -- A museum dedicated to the Long March of Red Army will open to the public in May in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The museum and underground exhibition hall, designed by Yung Ho Chang, head of the department of architecture at MIT, was funded by entrepreneur Fan Jianchuan. It will form part of the Jianchuan Museum Cluster, a collection of more than 15 museums in Anren Township, Dayi County, displaying one of the largest private collections of historical artifacts in China.

At a cost of 100 million yuan (15.4 million U.S. dollars), the museum will cover 4,000 square meters over two floors, with around 1,000 artifacts and almost 600 photographs on display.

Veterans of the 12,500-kilometer Long March can be seen and heard recounting audio and video anecdotes of their personal experiences 80 years ago. The strategic military manoeuvre, led by the Communist Party of China in its flight from the Kuomintang army, marked the turning of the tide in China's civil war, and formed the basis of the Communist victory.

The Long March passed through much of Sichuan Province and many important battles occurred there.

"As a veteran, I want to preserve history for future generations," Fan said.