With the mission of promoting Chinese arts and culture and dialogue among world civilizations, 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 critical 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 to inspire visitors from around the world to explore the dynamism of Chinese and world cultures through diverse content, innovative curatorial approaches, and a wide variety of objects.
Four special exhibitions spotlight the Yuanming yuan imperial garden, the origins of Chinese civilization, 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 HKPM jointly organizes the exhibition, 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 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 organize a special exhibition about the origins of Chinese civilization at Gallery 8. It will be on view in September and focus on new archaeological discoveries in China, tracing the origins, formation, and development of Chinese civilization to reveal the country's rich history.
2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of establishing 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 200 stunning pieces of men's and women's costumes, jewelry, and accessories, illustrating how fashion transformed the body in France during that period. 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.
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 civilizations. Leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages and strengths as an international metropolis where East meets West, we will continue providing diverse learning and community engagement programs, fostering the public's knowledge and interest in arts and culture, and promoting 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 GardenPalace" 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.
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