The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM or Museum) signed a sponsorship agreement with the GS Charity Foundation today, marking the commencement of “The Hong Kong Palace Museum Cultural Inheritance Programme” (the Cultural Inheritance Programme). Under the Cultural Inheritance Programme, the Palace Museum will provide professional advice and support to the HKPM, while the GS Charity Foundation has committed to offering the HKPM funding support of HK$50 million for launching a series of new projects over five years. These projects will enhance cultural and artistic exchanges, nurture museum professionals, and promote the inheritance of Chinese culture.
The sponsorship agreement was signed by Dr Charles Yeung, Director of GS Charity Foundation and Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM. Sponsored by the GS Charity Foundation, the “The Hong Kong Palace Museum Cultural Inheritance Programme”, officially launching in 2024, will encompass three annual projects: the “GS Visiting Fellows Programme at the HKPM”, the “Chinese Cultural Experience Programme”, and the “HKPM–PM Youth Internship Programme”. Additionally, the Cultural Inheritance Programme also supports the HKPM in organising a thematic exhibition and publishing English educational and learning resources in the next five years.
Dr Charles Yeung, Director of GS Charity Foundation, said, “History is a treasure trove of human wisdom. Learning the experiences and lessons from the past is a crucial factor for social progress. Therefore, the Hong Kong Palace Museum’s work in popularising the cultural heritage of the Palace Museum holds great value to our society.
With the launch of this cultural inheritance collaboration, we look forward to seeing a deeper understanding and passion for Chinese culture among Hong Kong youth. Using arts and culture as a bridge, we hope Hong Kong youth would become more familiar with China and subsequently bring youth from across the globe into China, fostering cultural exchange, mutual learning and complementary advancement.”
Winnie Tam, Chairman of the HKPM Board, said “The Hong Kong Palace Museum Cultural Inheritance Programme fully affirms the HKPM’s mission to enhance cultural exchange, nurture cultural leaders, and promote the inheritance of traditional Chinese culture. We are deeply grateful to the Palace Museum for its strong support for the HKPM and the GS Charity Foundation for its generous sponsorship. I truly believe that the Programme will bring fresh perspectives and energy to the HKPM, enriching the research work for our collection, refining our approaches to exhibition planning, educational projects, and academic publishing, and ultimately, enhancing the academic influence and international reputation of the HKPM.”
HKPM elevates its academic, research and educational work through three annual projects
The “GS Visiting Fellows Programme at the HKPM” will sponsor curators, scholars, researchers, conservators and relevant museum experts from overseas and the Mainland each year to conduct in-depth research at the HKPM. The research area includes the Palace Museum’s collections, its history and culture, Chinese art history, the HKPM’s collection and its conservation and restoration efforts. The project aims to deepen the museum’s academic research, foster exchanges amongst local and overseas experts and scholars, and enhance the HKPM’s international reputation.
The “Chinese Cultural Experience Programme” revolves around the Palace Museum’s precious artefacts and national cultural heritage, offering engaging activities for students outside school. Starting from the 2024/25 academic year, the HKPM will offer a range of cultural workshops on Palace Museum-related topics for free for primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong. The engaging workshops will cover topics such as court costumes, the Eight Banners system of the Qing dynasty, ceramic paintings and more, aiming to deepen students’ understanding of traditional Chinese art, culture and history.
The “HKPM–PM Youth Internship Programme” focuses on providing professional training for talented youth from Hong Kong and the Mainland. The programme is open to recent university graduates in the fields of culture, history and art, as well as fresh graduates with bachelor’s or post-graduate degrees who are interested in pursuing a career in the cultural and museum sector. Participants will undertake internships in different departments and positions at the Palace Museum and the HKPM. The programme aims to enhance their understanding of Chinese culture and the museum profession while providing valuable practical experience.
*More details regarding the Cultural Inheritance Programme will be announced on the HKPM’s website in due course.
Remarks
About the Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum aspires to be a leading cultural institution committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture while advancing dialogue among world civilisations. The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust made a donation of HK$3.5 billion for its establishment, as well as some of the annual exhibitions and education programmes in 2023–2031.
Embracing new curatorial approaches, the Museum offers a Hong Kong perspective and a global vision, presenting the finest objects from the Palace Museum and other important cultural institutions around the world. Through research, exhibitions, and educational and professional exchange programmes, the Museum will build international partnerships and help position Hong Kong as a global hub for art and culture. At heart a resource that belongs to the community of Hong Kong, the Museum will inspire community engagement, foster dialogue, and promote creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
About the Palace Museum
Established in 1925, the Palace Museum is a broadly representative national museum. It is housed on the grounds of the palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties known as the Forbidden City and its collection is based on Ming and Qing imperial collections. In 1961 the State Council named it a Nationally Protected Key Cultural Heritage Site, and in 1987 it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Palace Museum became a national 5A tourist attraction in 2007. The following year, it was among the first Chinese museums recognized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as a first-grade museum. Covering over one million square metres, the architectural compound under the Palace Museum’s administration consists of around 9,000 bays (internal spaces defined by columns) of Ming and Qing era structures, making it the world’s largest and best-preserved historical palatial complex.
Today, the Palace Museum is an unparalleled art treasure house with a vast collection of over 1.86 million pieces in twenty-five major categories. It showcases the time-honoured and splendid Chinese civilisation to the public through its imperial palace architecture; the display of original interior settings to illustrate the history of the imperial court; galleries dedicated to decorative arts, timepieces, paintings, calligraphic works, ceramics, and sculptures; and thematic exhibitions.
About GS Charity Foundation
With a steadfast will to repay society and to create greater benefit for all, Glorious Sun Group established “GS Charity Foundation” in 2005. Through its own programmes and by supporting other charitable organisations, the Foundation strives to achieve its objectives of poverty and disaster relief, building schools, nurturing talents and promoting Chinese culture.
About the West Kowloon Cultural District
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.
https://www.westkowloon.hk/
