BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The National Museum of China, located to the east of Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, officially opened to the public on Thursday after a one-year trial period.

"As China's flagship public museum, the National Museum should boost the promotion of Chinese culture and further exchanges between China and the world," Minister of Culture Cai Wu said at the museum's opening ceremony.

Cai said he hopes the museum will become a "world-class museum" that matches the country's status as a global power.

More than 4.1 million people visited the museum during its trial operation, which took place after the completion of nearly four years of renovation.

The museum was expanded to nearly 200,000 square meters during the renovation, making it the largest museum in the world, according to the museum's official website.

The museum houses more than 1.2 million cultural relics.