Inside a brewery workshop lined with German-style red bricks, tourist Ji Hyeonseong from the Republic of Korea raised a glass of freshly brewed unfiltered beer straight from the production line. He was utterly enthralled the moment the malt flavor reached his taste buds.
The scene, however, was not taking place in Germany, the traditional home of beer, but thousands of kilometers away, at the Tsingtao Beer Museum in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.
"Tsingtao beer features a cool, smooth texture and is absolutely delicious. I'll definitely recommend it to my friends back home," Ji said, adding that his family had made the museum their first stop upon arriving in Qingdao.
May 18 marks International Museum Day. Converted from a German-built brewery dating back to 1903, the museum is attracting a growing number of visitors from abroad as the summer tourism season approaches — largely thanks to its immersive projects that weave together history, culture and leisure into a refreshing travel experience.
Technology-driven exhibits have captivated many first-time visitors. In the brewing exhibition hall, holographic projections vividly recreate a German brewer from a century ago. Turning abruptly toward visitors, he appears to splash them with a virtual mug of beer, eliciting laughs and surprise. As night falls, projection mapping and digital lighting transform the century-old brewery walls into dreamlike displays of light and shadow.
"We have carefully designed an industrial tourism experience that integrates sightseeing, interaction, tasting and shopping," said Sun Ji, curator of the museum. The goal, she explained, is to transform industrial heritage into an immersive cultural landmark that brings together historical exploration, brewing culture, entertainment, dining and creative consumption.
Visitors can step into the role of brewmasters, crafting personalized beer recipes in interactive theatrical gaming spaces. Afterward, they can browse the gift shop for quirky mascot dolls and other creative souvenirs.
Still, for many visitors, the beer itself remains the highlight. "It's cool seeing the old buildings and vintage equipment, but the most unforgettable part is tasting the Tsingtao beer," said American tourist Andrew Werner before draining his glass in one gulp.
This experience-oriented model has earned the museum remarkable appeal. In 2025 alone, it received more than 2.5 million visits. Overseas visitors numbered more than 250,000 — up around 70 percent year on year — reflecting a surge of international interest as visa-free travel has expanded access to the region.
To serve international travelers, the museum has introduced ticketing that supports multiple currencies and international bank cards, along with multilingual guided services in Chinese, English, Russian, French, Japanese and Korean. Bilingual signage throughout the venue helps overseas visitors navigate and engage with the experience fully.
"Our experience has shown that old factories and aging equipment are still precious assets that preserve historical memory and generate new momentum for cultural tourism," said Zeng Chao, a senior manager at Tsingtao Beer Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
Looking ahead, the museum plans to deepen cross-industry collaboration, upgrade its immersive theatrical experiences and nighttime tours, and build a broader tourism ecosystem integrating dining, accommodation and entertainment. The hope, Zeng said, is that visitors from around the world will leave with a lasting impression of the city's industrial heritage — and perhaps a newfound appreciation for the beer that helped put it on the map.