Visitors take photos of Lunar Sample 001, which is on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, on Feb 27, 2021. (JIANG DONG /CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

BEIJING - Lunar samples brought back by China's Chang'e-5 probe are on public display at the National Museum of China on Saturday.

The samples, mainly soil from the lunar surface, are preserved in a container made of artificial crystal.

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Lunar Sample 001 is on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, on Feb 27, 2021. (JIANG DONG /CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

Designed in the shape of a zun, a traditional Chinese bronze ware, the container is 38.44 cm high and 22.89 cm wide. The height represents the average distance between Earth and the moon of 384,400 km, while the width represents the 22.89 days of the lunar probe's mission.

Apart from the samples, the exhibition also features around 40 objects related to the lunar probe, together with multiple photos and videos.

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After the exhibition in Beijing, the samples will begin a nationwide tour.

The Chang'e-5 probe, which returned to Earth on Dec 17, collected a total of 1,731 grams of lunar samples from the moon.  

Lunar Sample 001 is on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, on Feb 27, 2021. (JIANG DONG /CHINADAILY.COM.CN)

Lunar Sample 001 is on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing, on Feb 27, 2021. (JIANG DONG /CHINADAILY.COM.CN)