The museum is guardian of more than 1.86 million cultural relics, according to a detailed inventory finished during Shan's tenure. That accounts for 42 percent of country's total number of "registered national-level precious cultural relics".

But while less than 1 percent of the treasures was exhibited in 2012, that number was expanded by 5 percent last year, and plans are for 8 percent to be available for viewing by the end of this year.

While many of Shan's predecessors shunned the limelight, Shan did not. He gave hundreds lectures across the nation on the museum and collected more than $100 million in donations to support its development and restoration of relics, he said.

He helped promote documentaries and shows featuring the museum and oversaw development of more than 11,000 kinds of cultural souvenirs that had annual sales of over 1.5 billion yuan ($223 million), as well as digital apps and video games.

Criticism of Shan was sparse, though some grumbled that the light show at the museum for the Lantern Festival was a little on the flamboyant side.

Both the Palace Museum and Mogao Caves were listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1987, among the first in China.