Construction on the first large comprehensive Natural Science Museum in the Tibet autonomous region began on Friday in Lhasa, the regional capital.

"Tibet's Natural Science Museum, which is scheduled to open to the public in 2011, will aim to show the rich natural resources along with the unique history and culture in Tibet," said a spokesman for Tibet's science and technology bureau.

The 442-million yuan ($66 million) building will include three large exhibition halls. Located in Tamacun, in the east of Lhasa, the 130,000-square-meter site is by the Lhasa River, close to Tibet University.