Following a sudden power outage at the Terracotta Warriors museum in Xi'an last week, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration has issued a formal notice requiring museums across the country to improve their emergency management protocols. The directive, published on Monday, highlights a series of recent operational failures that have raised concerns about public safety and site maintenance.

In addition to the power outage, the administration cited recurring issues such as air conditioning malfunctions and severe overcrowding at various cultural institutions. These problems have become particularly prominent as museums experience high visitor volumes during the peak summer travel season. The government’s notice serves as a preemptive measure to ensure that cultural sites can handle large crowds while maintaining basic operational standards. While the Terracotta Army incident served as the immediate catalyst for this policy shift, the administration is now requiring a comprehensive audit of infrastructure at all major cultural heritage sites to prevent similar disruptions. The focus of the review is to ensure that essential services, including climate control and lighting, remain stable to protect both the artifacts and the visiting public.