Ancient Egyptian exhibition at Hong Kong Palace Museum in November

Hongkongers can admire 250 exquisite treasures from the ancient Egyptian civilization, such as pharaoh statues and animal mummies, all on display for the first time, starting November 20 at a special exhibition in the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

"The Great Exhibition of Ancient Egyptian Civilization: Treasures from the Egyptian Museum", to run for nine months until August 31, 2026, marks the largest, most comprehensive, and longest-running display of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the city.

250 ancient Egyptian treasures

The display features 250 significant historical items, created about 7,300 to 2,000 years ago, from seven major Egyptian museums, including the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, as well as recent archaeological discoveries from Saqqara.

Highlights include the 2.8-meter-tall colossal statue of legendary boy pharaoh Tutankhamun, whose legacy was forgotten for three millennia until the discovery of his tomb in 1922, stone sculptures, gold ornaments and large-scale coffins.

There are also animal mummies such as cats, dogs, and crocodiles. Ancient Egyptians believed in their magical and healing powers, offering an unusual lens into their spiritual world.

Chinese artefacts selected by the HKPM will also go on show along with the ancient Egyptian precious items, exploring cultural interactions and dialogues between ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilisations.

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Co-organized by HKPM and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities

The exhibition is set to draw up to 700,000 visitors, with ticketing details to be announced in August. A signing ceremony yesterday marked the official partnership between the HKPM and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).

Speaking to reporters, SCA secretary-general Mohamed Ismail Khaled expressed hope that the exhibition will deepen Hongkongers’ understanding of ancient Egypt and inspire them to visit archaeological sites like Saqqara.

HKPM museum director Louis Ng Chi-wah said the exhibition also marks the first time the HKPM has worked directly with Egypt, incorporating perspectives from Egyptian curators rather than solely Western institutions.

Both sides believed this exhibition sets the stage for deeper international ties, ranging from future exhibitions to shared research. “[We] hope in the future, more discoveries and new things can be displayed in Hong Kong,” Khaled said.

(Jamie Liu)