(Photo/Shanghai Observer)

SHANGHAI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Palace Museum Friday inaugurated its fifth branch institute, in partnership with Shanghai-based Tongji University.

The museum, established in 1925, is located in the imperial palace of the consecutive Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Also known as the Forbidden City, the palace is the world's largest and best preserved ancient wooden structure palace group.

The new academy in Shanghai is located at Tongji University, a well-known Chinese university with strong engineering and architecture schools. In 2003, it became the first in the country to open undergraduate and masters courses for historical building preservation.

Wang Lan from the university's the College of Architecture and Urban Planning said that the Palace Museum Academy in Shanghai would link the resources of its founding institutes.P She said the academy will conduct research on cultural relic restoration, cultural product development and knowledge exchange. It will be committed to producing professionals for protection of the historical buildings and relics in the Palace Museum.

The Palace Museum houses over 1.86 million antiques and artifacts. The complex's architecture and imperial collections make it one of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Shan Jixiang, curator of the Palace Museum, said that the museum boasts a team of 200 "relic restoration doctors". It has plans to allow visitors to view relic restoration in progress.

This is the fifth branch institute that the museum has opened, following other schools in the cities of Suzhou, Jingdezhen, Xi'an and Shenzhen.