Hong Kong Palace Museum | Ancient Egyptian Paper Making Workshop and Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Spend a day in exploring the world of ancient Egyptian writing and art.

From Plants to Scrolls: Ancient Egyptian Paper Making Workshop

Thousands of years ago, ancient Egyptians made writing materials, commonly known as papyrus, from reeds growing along the Nile River. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to recreate the craft using reeds that grow in Hong Kong’s wetlands. People have long used locally available plants to produce paper, and these practices offer a glimpse into humanity’s ingenuity in working with nature across cultures and landscapes.

In this workshop, you will:

• Discover how ancient Egyptians extracted and processed reeds into papyrus and experience fibre preparation using locally sourced natural materials.
• Combine ancient and modern papermaking techniques by preparing pulp from cotton or recycled materials
• Create several sheets of your own handmade paper from scratch and emboss them with ancient Egyptian motifs—an immersive journey into a craft tradition that transcends time and place.

Decoding Ancient Scripts: Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Led by the Egyptologist Amjad Refai, this session introduces the history of deciphering mysterious ancient Egyptian symbols and the fundamentals of reading and writing Egyptian scripts. You will also visit Gallery 9 to explore key artefacts that showcase ancient means of communication and language systems, discovering the allure of ancient Egyptian civilisation through writing, craftsmanship, and beliefs.

In this session, you will:

• Learn about the different types of ancient Egyptian scripts and related discoveries.
• Understand the basics of reading and writing hieroglyphs, including commonly used symbols and writing conventions.
• Follow the Egyptologist to appreciate ancient Egyptian artefacts up close and uncover the stories behind them.

Please note:

• Ancient Egyptian Paper Making Workshop: The workshop ticket does not include admission to the Museum’s exhibitions. If you wish to visit the exhibitions, please click here for tickets.
• Ancient Egyptian Paper Making Workshop and Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs: The ticket includes access to the special exhibition “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” (Gallery 9) and all thematic exhibitions (Galleries 1–7, except those temporarily closed).
• Lunch break is from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. Participants should make their own arrangements.
• No prior experience is required. Participants of all levels are welcome.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing as materials used during the workshop may stain.
• The organiser reserves the right to cancel the event in case of an insufficient number of participants. Ticket fee will be refunded in full in accordance with the procedures.

This workshop accompanies the special exhibition “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums”, which is on view in Gallery 9 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum from 20 November 2025 to 31 August 2026. The exhibition is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. It is proudly supported by Bank of China (Hong Kong), the Museum’s strategic partner, and Cathay and UnionPay International are the Major Sponsors.

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