National Museum of Natural History

TIANJIN, May 18 ( tasteallchina ) -- A complete hairy rhinoceros skeleton has been on display for a century at the National Museum of Natural History in France, while a similar skeleton unearthed in the same place of China is on display at the Beijiang Museum in north China's Tianjin Municipality. Beijiang Museum is a century-old hidden treasure nestled in the heart of the Wudadao historical urban area, a popular tourist destination in the downtown area of Tianjin. The museum houses over 400,000 fossils and specimens of animals, plants, rocks, minerals and ancient humans, but according to curator Zhang Caixin, what sets the museum apart is not just its large collection, but the captivating story of its founder, Paul Emile Licent. In March 1914, Licent arrived in Tianjin with a heart brimming with scientific curiosity. Little did he know that his arrival would mark the beginning of an extraordinary adventure spanning over 25 years. The French naturalist journeyed through the vast northern territories of China. At every stop along his expedition, he meticulously documented his findings and gathered them in the museum that he founded. When Licent left China, he took only his personal belongings back to his homeland. He…