Visitors to the ancient city of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, now have a chance to do relics repair themselves as a local museum is inviting the public to participate in a "cultural relics surgery" activity.

Shaanxi History Museum is breaking with convention to allow members of the public to help with restoration work like pottery and carving repairs under the instruction of experts.

"Restoration work can be so delicate that a drop of sweat can hurt a bronze item. Visitors mostly only participate in easy work like checking and matching fragments. Difficult work, like using chemical elements to coat relics stay in the hands of experts," said bronze ware expert Fu Wenbin.

Requirements for the restoration of paper relics are even stricter.

"These pieces of painting and calligraphic works are extremely fragile,"said Zhang Ting, an expert in ancient painting and calligraphy restoration. Fragments can be easily damaged by chemical reagents, Zhang said.

Even this limited access to restoration work is appreciated though.

"Restoration work enables me to have direct contact with the earth and ancient people. I appreciate the beauty of cultural relics much more,"said Wang Rong, a fan of archaeology TV programs, whose ambition is to join a real archaeological dig.

Zhou Tianyou, vice president of Pre-Qin History Academy, said the aim of the activity - a first for Shaanxi - is to increase public interest in protecting historic relics and unveil the mysteries of restoration work.

Visitors can have a close encounter with broken pieces of bronze statues, tri-colored Tang Dynasty glazed pottery and incomplete frescoes until the end of October.