BEIJING -- China made further progress in expanding its science infrastructure and public engagement in 2024, according to national statistics on science popularization released recently by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The statistics show that the number of science and technology museums across the country climbed to 1,890 in 2024, which was an increase of 111 from the previous year.

Funding for science popularization activities saw steady growth. A total of 22.22 billion yuan (about $3.19 billion) was raised nationally for science outreach work in 2024 — a 3.32 percent year-on-year increase.

The public science education workforce continued to expand, with approximately 2.21 million people working full-time or part-time in the field of science popularization in 2024, expanding 2.62 percent from the previous year.

Public participation in various science activities remained high. In 2024, over 1.44 million online or offline science lectures were held, attracting more than 2 billion participants. Approximately 109,200 special science and technology exhibitions were organized, drawing 480 million visits. And 9,680 research institutions and universities opened their doors to the public, receiving over 24.95 million visits.