‘Red Ribbon’ Museum Drives Summer Red Culture Tourism Surge
The Guizhou Long March Culture Digital Art Museum, known as the “Red Ribbon,” has become a standout destination for summer red culture tourism in China, drawing more than 190,000 visitors since the start of the summer holiday season. Located in the Guizhou Shuanglong Airport Economic Zone in Guiyang, the venue is China’s first full-area immersive digital experience museum themed on the Long March, according to Xinhua News.
The attraction uses cutting-edge technology including holographic imaging, live performances, and digital interactive systems to recreate pivotal moments from the Long March — the Battle of Xiang River, the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, and the arduous crossing of snowy mountains and grasslands. Its signature production, “Red Ribbon: The Great Expedition,” combines AI virtual interaction, full-dimensional mechanical motion, virtual reality, and 3D sound fields to immerse visitors in revolutionary history.
A Landmark of Digital Heritage
The Red Ribbon opened for trial operations on October 22, 2023 — the 87th anniversary of the Long March victory — and officially launched full operations a year later. Since then, it has emerged as a landmark project within the Long March National Cultural Park’s Guizhou key construction area. By March 2026, the museum had welcomed nearly 2.3 million visitors over more than two years of operation, as reported by Dongjing News via Qianxun Net.
The venue comprises two main experiences: “Red Ribbon: The Great Expedition,” an immersive walkthrough of Long March history, and “Red Ribbon: Colorful Flight,” an 8K LED dome-screen virtual journey over Guizhou’s landscapes. The museum has earned more than ten national and provincial awards, including selection as one of the “2024 Cultural and Tourism Digital Innovation Demonstration Top Ten Cases” by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Technology Meets Revolutionary Heritage
Liu Qi Yang, deputy general manager of Guizhou Provincial Cultural Tourism Technology Co., Ltd., which operates the Red Ribbon, said the venue represents a new approach to preserving revolutionary heritage. “The ‘Red Ribbon’ empowers with technology, creating a new path for the inheritance and popularization of Long March culture,” he told Guizhou Daily. “The younger generation is no longer a passive recipient of knowledge, but personally participates in the ‘reproduction’ of Long March stories, establishing emotional identification with red culture.”
Visitor Bai Xiuhong echoed that sentiment after experiencing the exhibition. “After watching it, I was really shocked,” she said. “With the support of technology, it’s more immersive. Many children also come to watch — it’s a great inspiration.”
The museum’s appeal extends beyond individual tourists. In April 2026, Xingnong Middle School in Guiyang held its graduation and coming-of-age ceremony at the Red Ribbon, with more than 1,600 students and 300 parents and staff in attendance. Principal Pu Bangshun, 85, explained the choice: “Having responsibility for family and country is what truly makes one an adult,” he said, as reported by the China Democratic Progressive Association.
Broader Red Tourism Momentum
2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory, fueling nationwide interest in red tourism. Guizhou — the province where the Red Army spent the longest time and covered the widest area during the Long March — has leveraged this heritage extensively. The Zunyi Conference Site, a core hub of Guizhou’s red culture tourism, has received an average of 14,000 visitors daily this summer, with extended hours through August 31, according to China News Service.
The Loushanguan Battle live performance has drawn 2 million cumulative visitors since 2016, and the immersive “Great Turning Point” production in Zunyi has surpassed 650,000 viewers in two years. Guizhou has also developed 20 red tourism routes covering all its cities and prefectures, and implemented the “Guizhou Province Red Resources Protection, Inheritance and Utilization Regulations” in January 2025.
Looking Ahead
As summer tourism continues, the Red Ribbon has expanded its “Great Expedition” performances from five to eight daily shows plus two evening performances to accommodate demand. Liu Qi Yang outlined plans for further innovation: “Next, we will further explore the unique historical details of Guizhou’s Long March culture, develop interactive modes such as branching storylines, role-playing, and task unlocking, allowing visitors to move from ‘immersive experience’ to ‘deep co-creation.’”
The “Red Ribbon National Defense Sports Education Base” is also slated to begin construction soon, signaling continued expansion of the venue’s cultural offerings. With the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory providing powerful momentum, the Red Ribbon exemplifies how digital technology is reshaping the way revolutionary history is preserved, presented, and experienced for new generations.