At The Rise of Vertebrates, an ongoing exhibition at the Natural History Museum of China in Beijing, visitors can follow fossil evidence to trace the origins of vertebrates and their journey out of the water to dominate land, sea and air.

Launched on Tuesday to mark the reopening of the hall for ancient reptiles, the permanent exhibition includes 197 exhibits, about 70 percent of which are on display for the first time, according to Wang Baopeng, deputy director of the museum's earth sciences department.

"We have introduced many new exhibits and used modern technology, such as naked-eye three-dimensional display technology and an interactive gaming system, to create an immersive, educational experience. There will be an artificial reality and virtual reality space opening to the public soon," Wang says.

Divided into seven sections, the exhibition follows the timeline of vertebrates, each of which provides detailed insights into the evolutionary journey and key milestones of major groups.