The Palace Museum in Beijing announced on Dec 6 a plan to recruit more volunteers to better serve the growing number of visitors to the Forbidden City.

Shan Jixiang, the museum's director, announced the move at an annual meeting reviewing the work of volunteers in 2017, saying more staff were needed to cater to the growing numbers of visitor and displays at the museum.

Thirty-six volunteers were also bestowed with awards for excellence for their work over the past year.

In 2017, nearly 16.7 million visitors came to the Forbidden City, China's former imperial palace. About 80 percent of the area of the museum is currently open to the public.

There are 220 regular volunteers at the museum, who offer information and guidance about the cultural relics on display.

The museum has rigid selection process for volunteers based on their professional knowledge.