Hong Kong Palace Museum | Hong Kong Palace Museum unveils exciting line-up of exhibitions in 2024

From “The Garden of All Gardens” Yuanming yuan and the origins of Chinese civilisation to exhibitions celebrating 60 years of Sino-French diplomatic relations, the Museum continues to showcase the gems of Chinese arts and culture and foster dialogue among world civilisations

With the mission of promoting Chinese arts and culture and dialogue among world civilisations, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) has presented 16 thematic and special exhibitions since its opening in July 2022 to showcase treasures from the Palace Museum, HKPM and other important cultural institutions from around the world, with a total attendance of over 2.1 million in 18 months. The HKPM is pleased to unveil an impressive line-up of exhibitions for 2024 with the aim of inspiring visitors from around the world to explore the dynamism of Chinese and world cultures through the diverse content, innovative curatorial approaches and wide variety of objects

Four special exhibitions spotlight Yuanming yuan imperial garden, the origins of Chinese civilisation, and Sino-French cultural exchanges tracing back to the 17th century

The first major special exhibition in 2024, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: YUAN MING YUAN — Art and Culture of an Imperial Garden-Palace”, to be unveiled in March, sheds new light on Yuanming yuan (Garden of Perfect Brightness) by featuring over 190 spectacular paintings, architectural models, and other works associated with this once-magnificent Qing dynasty imperial garden-palace, which served as the principal residence of five Qing emperors. The exhibition highlights the life and aesthetic tastes of the emperors, festivals, and the relationship between members of the imperial family. In this exhibition, visitors will discover the crowning achievements of imperial garden-palace design, the stories about the garden’s principal residents, and the history of the Qing imperial court. The exhibition is jointly organised by the HKPM, the Palace Museum and the Yuanmingyuan Administration Office of the Haidian District of Beijing, and solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The exhibition will open to the public in Gallery 8 of the HKPM from 20 March 2024 till 12 August 2024.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the HKPM will organise a special exhibition about the origins of Chinese civilisation at Gallery 8. It will be on view in September and focusing on new archaeological discoveries in China, tracing the origins, formation, and development of Chinese civilisation to reveal the rich history of the country.

2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Following the conclusion of the Special Exhibition “Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from The National Gallery, London” in Gallery 9 on 11 April 2024, the HKPM will present two major special exhibitions in this gallery in collaboration with two leading French cultural institutions to introduce the evolution of French fashion and art over a century, as well as the cultural exchanges between China and France during the 17th to 18th centuries.

Opening in June, the first major special exhibition about fashion in France from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries will showcase over 300 stunning pieces of men and women’s costume, jewellery, and accessory, illustrating how fashion transformed the body in France during that period of time. Visitors will also gain insight into the global connections of French fashion through the designs and textiles, including Chinese silk. Another major exhibition, to be opened in December, will focus on the significant cultural and artistic exchanges between China and France in the 17th to the 18th century, highlighting the splendid cultural and artistic exchanges between the palaces in China and France, revealing the exchange and admiration between the two countries.

Breaking new paths: New and updated thematic exhibitions include Ming Dynasty imperial porcelain from the Palace Museum

The thematic exhibitions featuring the priceless treasures from the Palace Museum will be updated with either a new curatorial theme or rotation of objects. Imperial porcelains are key components of the Palace Museum Collection and the current theme of the thematic exhibition in Gallery 3. In July, a new exhibition on Ming dynasty imperial porcelains from the prestigious Palace Museum collection will open in Gallery 3. This is the first large-scale exhibition that features the Ming imperial ceramics in Hong Kong, shedding new light on Ming court life and history as well as the unparalleled craftsmanship achieved at the imperial kilns.

“Passion for Collecting: Founding Donations to the Hong Kong Palace Museum” will be open to public at Gallery 6 on 15 March. This is the first thematic exhibition at the HKPM to celebrate the Museum’s remarkable collection formed with the generosity of its founding donating parties. Featuring around 100 spectacular works of art, this exhibition invites visitors to discover stories about the donors and their collecting and artistic journeys. Visitors can also appreciate the exceptional artistic, cultural, and historical significance of the works on view, which epitomise the crowning achievements of Chinese art from the Neolithic period to the 21st century.

The two highly popular thematic exhibitions, “Entering the Forbidden City: Architecture, Collection, and Heritage” (Gallery 1) and “From Dawn to Dusk: Life in the Forbidden City” (Gallery 2), introduce the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing dynasties as well as life at the Qing court. While keeping the same theme in 2024, some of the Palace Museum treasures on display in these exhibitions will be replaced by new objects to create a refreshed viewing experience. The rotation arrangements will be announced in due course.

Currently on display in Gallery 4, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Stories Untold – Figure Paintings of the Ming Dynasty from the Palace Museum”, jointly organised by the HKPM and the Palace Museum, and solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, presents a total of 81 sets of exquisite works in four rotations, with each rotation showcasing around 20 sets of iconic works for a duration of about three months. The first rotation in the exhibition, which is on display until 10 March, showcases several grade-one national treasures, such as Song Emperor Taizu Calling on Zhao Pu on a Snowy Night by Liu Jun; Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion by Wen Zhengming; Stories of Legends by Qiu Ying; and Confucius, Laozi, and Buddhist Arhat by Ding Yunpeng. The second rotation with brand new works will open on 13 March – please refer to the HKPM’s website for details.

Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, said, “It has been greatly encouraging to see over 2.1 million visitors at the HKPM in its first year and a half of operation. 2024 will see the HKPM continuing to collaborate with the world’s leading arts and cultural institutions to curate world-class exhibitions and manifest our founding vision to promote Chinese traditional culture while advancing dialogue among world civilisations. Leveraging Hong Kong’s unique advantages and strengths as an international metropolis where East meets West, we will continue to provide a diverse range of learning and community engagement programmes, fostering the public’s knowledge and interest in arts and culture, and promote East-meets-West cultural exchange.”

Tickets for the special exhibition “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: YUAN MING YUAN — Art and Culture of an Imperial Garden-Palace” are priced at HK$150 for adults and HK$75 for visitors eligible for concessions*, and will allow access to thematic exhibitions in Galleries 1 to 7. Tickets can be purchased starting from 1 March 2024 (Friday) through the HKPM website, the West Kowloon Cultural District website or mobile app, the online ticketing platform Cityline, and the online platforms of ticketing partners China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, Fliggy, KKday, Klook and Trip.com.

A special combo ticket, priced at HK$220 for adults and HK$110 for visitors eligible for concessions*, will be available to visitors who wish to visit both special exhibitions—“The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: YUAN MING YUAN — Art and Culture of an Imperial Garden-Palace” in Gallery 8 and “Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London” in Gallery 9 on the same day, in addition to all thematic exhibitions ( featuring treasures from the Palace Museum and other collections) in Galleries 1 to 7. Please refer to the HKPM website for more information.

HKPM line-up of new exhibitions in 2024

* Concessions are available to children aged 7 to 11, full-time students, seniors aged 60 and above, persons with disabilities (with one companion), and CSSA recipients.
^ Special Exhibitions

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 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/