Children of migrant workers in the Chinese capital will be invited to visit the Forbidden City free of charge on May 18, which is International Museum Day.

The Palace Museum wants to give migrant workers' children a chance to visit the historic site as a way of thanking their parents for their contribution to Beijing's urban development, said an official from the museum's information and education department.

Five hundred students and teachers from Xingzhi Primary School in Haidian District will be among the first to be invited. But the museum didn't say how many children in total will be invited.

Migrant workers' children rarely have the chance to visit historical sites like the Forbidden City because their parents' income is too low.

The Palace Museum said they would offer more free tours for the children of migrant workers in the future.

Well-known cultural relics expert Xie Chensheng will introduce the history and ancient buildings of the Forbidden City to the children on that day.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2007)