Watch video: Child knocks down $280,000 golden crown during museum while trying to take a photo
Zhang Kaiyi, who has 13.6 million followers on social media, said that the 2-kilogram crown was damaged during an exhibition held at Beijing X Museum on December 13, 2023. Security footage shared by Zhang shows a mother trying to take a photo of the crown while her primary school-age son wipes the clear protective cover to enhance the image. The case, which was not securely fixed to the base, fell, causing the top to fall to the ground.
Zhang, who is seven months pregnant, said the incident upset her and her husband because the crown has deep personal significance. She said her husband designed and produced the traditional wedding crown as a gift symbolizing their relationship. The couple met online and got married after dating for a few months.
Based on current gold prices, the crown is worth approximately two million yuan (about US$280,000). A gold jewelry expert told local Chinese media that the production cost will range from 200,000 to 400,000 yuan.
Zhang said she was initially devastated and worried that the damage might bring bad luck to her marriage and her unborn child. But he later shared that online users reassured him, citing the belief that damaging valuables could avert misfortune.
The crown was exhibited together with the “love” themed works of 86 artists. The exhibition was initiated by Zhang’s husband, a doctoral candidate at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Zhang clarified that he did not post the video to seek compensation because the crown was insured. He urged parents to supervise children at exhibits. The videos attracted great attention and sparked debate about liability. Zhang said the insurance company, the museum, and she and her husband would jointly cover the damage.
