Thousands of Beijing residents braved the rain Sunday and turned out to vote for their favourite design for the new National Museum of China.

The event was organized to allow the public to help decide which of the three nominated plans will be built.

A total of ten blueprints are on display, most of which were designed by world-class architects.

The new construction, which is expected to enter the list of world top ten museums, will be built from May next year to the end of 2007.

(CRI July 12, 2004)