The Norbulingka palace complex was built by the Seventh Dalai Lama (1708-1757) to house Tibet's government officials during the hot summer months, providing a cool shady retreat from Potala Palace's exposure to the sun. The procession from Potala to Norbulingka was an important spectacle for many years, marking summer's arrival in Lhasa. In the 1950s, the current Dalai Lama built the New Summer Palace, an addition to Norbulingka, where he eventually had to hide out (this turned into a permanent vacation) when the Red Guard invaded Lhasa in 1959. Norbulingka wasn't spared the Cultural Revolution's destruction and was eventually reduced to ruins. It has since been reconstructed and renovated by the Chinese and turned into a tourist site complete with a zoo (one of China's most depressing) and souvenir shops. The palace complex is still in much disrepair, but the New Summer Palace retains some interesting exhibits on Tibetan Buddhism history, including 301 lovely murals depicting Tibet's story.