If you’ve been out and about in Hong Kong recently, you might have seen some ads like these:
These are for the brand new Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), which opened on July 3rd in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 1997 Handover of Hong Kong. Located in the West Kowloon Cultural District near Tsim Sha Tsui, it is a modern reinterpretation of the Forbidden City in Beijing, and aims to promote Chinese culture and art.
On display inside are over 900 national treasures on loan from the Palace Museum in Beijing, and is the largest collection they have loaned to an outside exhibition, including priceless items that are being shown to the public for the first time. There are also pieces from Taipei’s National Palace Museum and The Louvre.
Currently, there are 9 ongoing exhibitions, 7 thematic ones, and 2 special ones to celebrate the opening of the museum.
The two special exhibitions are "The Making of Masterpieces: Chinese Painting and Calligraphy from the Palace Museum", a showcase presenting some of the most admired works of the Chinese calligraphy and painting canon, and "Grand Gallop: Art and Culture of the Horse", which highlights the significance of horses as a cultural, political and social symbol through time across the world.
The other 7 thematic exhibitions are:
Entering the Forbidden City: Architecture, Collection, and Heritage
From Dawn to Dusk: Life in the Forbidden City
Clay to Treasure: Ceramics from the Palace Museum Collection
Encountering the Majestic: Portraits of Qing Emperors and Empresses
The Quest for Originality: Contemporary Design and Traditional Craft in Dialogue
Private to Public: The History of Chinese Art Collecting in Hong Kong
No Boundaries: Reinterpreting Palace Museum Culture
Before you even go in to see those delightful exhibitions, the unique museum building will be your first exhibit. Although not always apparent at first glance, many of the museum’s architectural features are inspired by the Forbidden City. For example, this patterned ceiling is reminiscent of the roof tiles in the Forbidden City, and the museum’s color palette of scarlet red, beige-gold, and dark green is also another echo of the Forbidden City.
Another feature showing the design team’s attention to detail is the number of exhibition halls and atriums: 9 and 3 respectively, which are traditionally preferred and used in the layout of the Forbidden City. The red doors of the HKPM are also based on the doors of the Meridian Gate in Beijing, with 81 glass studs on each door, as 9x9 = 81. In traditional Chinese culture, 9 is considered the largest number.
Like the museum’s architecture, the exhibits are a mix of modern and ancient. While the pieces on display are from hundreds and thousands of years ago, the museum utilizes today’s technology to reinterpret these old masterpieces and engage the viewers. One of those is this installation, which brings the intricate horse roof tiles to life as they flutter over your head (with ridiculously cute wings).
Having visited it recently, I saw firsthand how the 9 fascinating exhibitions and thoughtful architecture features have created a unique cultural space for everyone to enjoy. Other than that, there was one more thing that made my time at HKPM more interesting – this little audio guide device:
It has extra explanations and stories for the highlighted pieces on display (some of which are quite entertaining), and can be worn on your neck as you explore all that the museum has to offer. You can borrow one at the front desk on the Ground Floor after you enter HKPM.
For anyone planning to visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum, there’s free admission (access to the 7 thematic exhibitions) every Wednesday for the first year of opening - just make sure to register on their website beforehand. Take a day out to explore 5,000 years worth of history, and it will certainly be worth your time!
Sources:
Su, L., & McSpadden, K. (2022, July 9). The 15 must-see Palace Museum treasures from Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3184585/15-must-see-palace-museum-treasures-hong-kong-beijing-and
West Kowloon Cultural District. (n.d.). Hong Kong Palace Museum. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.westkowloon.hk/en/hkpm#overview
Hong Kong Palace Museum. (n.d.). The Building. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.hkpm.org.hk/en/about/the-building
Ng, C. (Ed.). (2022, July 3). Hong Kong Palace Museum is open: Here’s everything you need to know. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/whats-on/hong-kong-palace-museum-opening-tickets-how-to-visit/
West Kowloon Cultural District. (2022, May 10). Hong Kong Palace Museum Building Work Completed – Interior construction and gallery fitting-out close to completion. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.westkowloon.hk/en/press-release/hong-kong-palace-museum-building-work-completed
Dianjun, Z., & Jijun, S. (2022). Hong Kong Palace Museum - Part 1: The Birth. China Global Television Network (CGTN). Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoHjx6izzro
Images:
Pulling, H. (2022). Kowloon Motor Bus ATENU948 UA1216 (Hong Kong Palace Museum). Flickr. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/hhhumber/52185898768/
Mowery, L. (2018, January 21). A Glimpse Inside Beijing’s Forbidden City. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://thepointsguy.com/2018/01/a-glimpse-inside-beijings-forbidden-city/
Hong Kong Tourism Board. (n.d.). Hong Kong Palace Museum Opening Exhibitions. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.discoverhongkong.com/in/what-s-new/events/detail.id78833.hong-kong-palace-museum-opening-exhibitions.html
Earl, K. (2011, August 25). The Heart of Beijing. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from http://adventurepatches.com/2011/08/25/the-heart-of-beijing/
Leung, J., & Chan, C. (2022, June 7). The best things to see and do inside the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/news/the-best-things-to-see-and-do-inside-the-hong-kong-palace-museum-060722
The Palace Museum . (n.d.). Meridian Gate (Wu men). Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://en.dpm.org.cn/collections/architecture/architecture/1761.html
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