The Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), Louis Ng Chi-wa, has issued an apology for the "unacceptable" queues that emerged during the opening weekend of the special exhibition titled "Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums."
The apology comes in response to an overwhelming influx of visitors that necessitated the temporary suspension of on-site ticket sales on Sunday afternoon (Nov 23).
In a radio interview on Monday (Nov 24), Ng expressed his apologies to the affected visitors and acknowledged the shortcomings in the queuing and entry arrangements.
He explained that while a portion of on-site tickets was reserved for tourists, a significant surge in pre-booked visitors on Saturday (Nov 22) resulted in unexpected congestion.
Ng recognized that the museum staff lacked adequate experience in managing such high visitor volumes, which led to wait times extending up to 90 minutes—a situation he characterized as "unacceptable."
In an immediate response, the museum has extended its opening hours until 9pm.
Notably, visitors holding tickets for the past Saturday (Nov 22) will be granted free admission for a return visit within the next three months.
Advance booking recommended
Ng stated that new crowd control measures for the upcoming weekend are under review, including the possibility of adding evening sessions and implementing timed entry.
However, he confirmed that there are no intentions to restrict individual visiting times.
With the exhibition set to run for over nine months, Ng encouraged the public to visit on weekdays or book tickets online in advance to ensure a smoother experience.
He also revealed that exhibition merchandise, particularly blind box series, has seen remarkable success, with sales 50 times higher than usual and nearly half the inventory sold in just four days – a situation he described as a "happy problem" requiring urgent restocking.
The exhibition features 250 artifacts from seven major Egyptian museums, showcasing the city's largest display of Egyptian treasures spanning 5,000 years of history, including a towering statue of Tutankhamun.
