The Palace Museum in Beijing opened an exhibit displaying archived photos from the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, it announced on Sunday.

It is the first time such an exhibit has been made since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, which includes 300 items that are carefully selected from more than 20,000 old photographs and glass frosted negatives.

Photographic technology entered China in late Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) with warfare and turbulence, said Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum.

It was introduced into the Palace Museum when it was still called the Forbidden City, the Chinese emperor's dwelling, which was much safer than the outside world. So it became a perfect haven to take and preserve photos, said Shan.

The display falls into four categories, covering themes of politics, economy, military, diplomacy and common people's customs and practices a hundred years ago.

The photo show will last from May 17 to July 17, and is included in the entrance ticket price for the Palace Museum.