Hong Kong Palace Museum 香港故宫文化博物館

With more than 900 artefacts, the $450 million Hong Kong Palace Museum is a cultural milestone for the city. But it’s also part of Beijing’s efforts to foster a sense of national identity among locals.

Occupying a 13,000-square-meter space in the West Kowloon Cultural District overlooking Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) flaunts nine galleries spreading across five floors.

More than 900 artefacts loaned from the Beijing Palace Museum are on view, with 166 labeled as “grade one” and some for only a limited time of display due to environmental factors like light and humidity.

The Palace Museum 故宫博物院 in Beijing was established in 1925 and later opened to the public after China’s last emperor Pǔyí 溥儀 was expelled from the Forbidden City, home to the royal families during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The imperial collection includes abundant priceless relics from various periods of Chinese history, many of which revealing ancient emperors’ extravagant lifestyle and the legacy of Chinese civilisation.

With a Full Access Ticket, you will have access to the thematic exhibitions (Gallery 1–7) and special exhibitions (Gallery 8 and 9).

These treasures span diverse periods of Chinese history and other cultures, showcasing artistic innovation, historical narratives, and cross-cultural exchange through a variety of media, including ceramics, calligraphy, textiles, and decorative objects.  

Through innovative research and travelling exhibitions, as well as educational, cultural, and professional exchange programmes, the Museum builds international partnerships and helps position Hong Kong as a hub for art and cultural exchanges between the Mainland China and the rest of the world.

Gallery 2: From Dawn To Dusk: Life And Art In The Forbidden City (current)

Follow in the footsteps of the emperors and empresses of the Forbidden City and experience court life in the eighteenth century. Significant events from morning to bedtime and over 300 sumptuous treasures from the Palace Museum represent key moments in their busy and well-regulated lives. These moments bring to life the colour, texture, joy, and sorrow of life inside the Forbidden City.²

Gallery 3: Clay To Treasure: Ceramics From The Palace Museum Collection (02.07.2022 – 20.05.2024)

This is the first major exhibition in Hong Kong to feature the Palace Museum’s ceramic collection. Home to the world’s largest collection of Chinese ceramics, the Palace Museum inherited many objects used and collected by the Ming and Ling imperial courts. Together, they represent the highest levels of artistic achievement from different periods in Chinese history.

Presenting over 150 highlights from the collection, the exhibition surveys China’s ceramic traditions, with a focus on technical and aesthetic achievements in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The works on display range from everyday household goods to luxuries used by the ruling elite to display their status and taste.³

Gallery 4: Stories Untold — Figure Paintings Of The Ming Dynasty From The Palace Museum (Rotation 1: December 13, 2023 – March 10, 2024)

This exhibition features more than eighty masterpieces by notable Ming dynasty (1368-1644) artists, each carefully selected from the Palace Museum collection. The paintings will be shown in four rotations, with about twenty on display in each rotation. The paintings in each rotation are thoughtfully divided into groups to showcase the artistic pursuits and achievements of court painters, literati painters, and professional painters from the early, middle, and late periods of the Ming dynasty.⁴

The figure paintings in this exhibition show the mastery of Ming dynasty artists and their distinctive painting styles and techniques. Each painting goes beyond sophistication and refinement of style to offer insights into the material and spiritual life of the painters and their subjects. We invite you to explore Ming dynasty figure paintings and the stories they tell.

Controversy surrounding the building of the Museum

The scale and diversity of HKPM’s collections speaks volumes about its cultural and political significance to both Beijing and Hong Kong. It opened to the public on July 3 2022, a day later than its scheduled inauguration since the city was hit by Typhoon Chaba, as a gift from Beijing to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover from British to Chinese sovereignty.

The main issue with HKPM is the lack of transparency and public input during its development, which was led by former Chief Secretary Carrie Lam. She bypassed the local legislature to obtain a donation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.⁵ Critics claimed Lam ignored proper procedures by not allowing public participation and was trying to please the Chinese government. The fast construction of the museum, with its architect chosen without a public tender, raised further concerns about political motives and neglect of proper governance.⁶

The creation of HKPM took less than three years, from March 2019 to December 2021, which was half the time required for the completion of its neighbouring institution M+, a contemporary art museum also located in West Kowloon Cultural District that’s worth a visit too.

About Hong Kong Palace Museum

HKPM aims to be a top cultural institution that studies and promotes Chinese art and culture, fostering dialogue among global civilisations through international partnerships. The Museum is a joint effort by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum, funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a HK$3.5 billion donation for its setup, along with support for some exhibitions and education programmes from 2023 to 2031.

As a world-class institution, the Museum is, at heart, a cultural resource that belongs to the community of Hong Kong. And as a dynamic platform, it inspires community engagement, fosters dialogue and partnerships, and promotes creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.

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.

Hong Kong Palace Museum 香港故宫文化博物館
West Kowloon Cultural District, 8 Museum Drive, Kowloon

If you coming by public transport, be warned that it’s still another 20 min walk from the nearest MTR station.

Opening Hours:

• Mon, Wed, Thu & Sun – 10:00 am–06:00 pm
• Fri, Sat & Public Holiday – 10:00 am–08:00 pm
• Closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays) & the first two days of the Lunar New Year

Visited Dec 2023

Footnotes:

1. “Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan”, Thematic exhibition at HKPM Gallery 8, 27.09.2023 – 08.01.2024 ↩︎
2. Except from HKPM website, 23 Sep 2025, https://www.hkpm.org.hk/en/exhibition/from-dawn-to-dusk-life-and-art-in-the-forbidden-city ↩︎
3. Except from HKPM website, 23 Sep 2025, https://www.hkpm.org.hk/en/exhibition/clay-to-treasure-ceramics-from-the-palace-museum-collection ↩︎
4. Museum information card, Dec 2023 ↩︎
5. “New HK$3.5bn Palace Museum to be constructed at West Kowloon arts hub”, Koel Chu, 23 Dec 2016, Updated 31 Mar 2020, Hong Kong Free Press. https://hongkongfp.com/2016/12/23/new-palace-museum-constructed-west-kowloon-arts-hub/ ↩︎
6. “After Early Controversies and a Typhoon Delay, the $450 Million Hong Kong Palace Museum Opens to an Enthusiastic Local Crowd”, Vivienne Chow, July 6, 2022, Artnet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/hong-kong-palace-museum-opens-2142262 ↩︎