HK$3.5 billion Hong Kong Palace Museum opens after typhoon delay

The Hong Kong Palace Museum opened its doors to the public on Sunday, following a day’s delay caused by Typhoon Chaba.

The museum, which is linked to its namesake in Beijing, was initially scheduled to open on July 2. However, its debut was delayed due to the T8 storm signal, which remained hoisted until late Saturday afternoon.

The validity of opening day tickets was extended for 180 days, and the museum opened from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung said during his visit that he encouraged more citizens to visit the museum, and that the project received support from the Central government and the museum in Beijing.

“…it also gives opportunities to citizens in Hong Kong to be able to marvel at these antiquities and learn more about Chinese culture without having to leave Hong Kong,” said Yeung, urging Hongkongers to “nurture our sense of identity…”

The museum, located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, is home to nine galleries featuring portraits of the Qing dynasty, calligraphy, ceramics collections and more.

It was funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of HK$3.5 billion.

General admission adult tickets for the Hong Kong Palace Museum cost HK$50, which includes access to seven of the nine galleries. The HK$120 “special exhibition ticket” covers all of the galleries.

Concession tickets are available at half price for groups such as full-time students and those aged 60 or above. Entry will be free every Wednesday for the first year.

The plan to build the museum was announced in 2016 by then-chief secretary Carrie Lam. The project was controversial from the beginning, kept secret from top ranking staff members, and announced before any public consultation was conducted.

The construction of the building began in March 2019, and was completed in December last year.

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