Visitors view a ship in the history of China's naval force exhibition in Dalian. [Photos by Song Wei for chinadaily.com.cn]

An exhibition introducing the history of China's naval force raised its curtain at the Dalian Modern Museum before the national holiday in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province.

It displays more than 450 items of cultural relics and pictures, as well as a scale model of China's first aircraft carrier.

Dalian is of special meaning in the history of China's naval force.

In the early 1880s, rulers of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) chose Lyushunkou in Dalian as the base for the Beiyang Navy, China's earliest naval force.

China's first aircraft carrier was launched in 2012 in Dalian.

The exhibition covers treasured moments in China's naval history between the two historic events.

It will be on display till March 8.