Palace museum under pressure to raise fees

Hong Kong Palace Museum could raise admission prices and diversify its income streams to help improve its financial sustainability, says director Louis Ng Chi-wa. The museum in West Kowloon Cultural District will cancel its free-admission scheme every Wednesday from tomorrow.

Speaking to the media on the museum's first anniversary, Ng said it costs a lot for the museum to show exhibits from around the world. To maintain the high quality of exhibitions, he said the museum is considering sustainable finance plans, including reviewing admission fees, which account for half of its income.

Ng said the museum did not receive sponsorship from the government and it was normal for museums to operate at a loss.

"Most museums in the West operate at a loss, and their revenue can usually cover around 20 to 30 percent of its operation costs. We can cover around 40 percent, so it is already higher than most," Ng said.

He said the museum saw 1.3 million visitors in the past year, half of them mainlanders, and 10 percent overseas tourists.

Adult visitors can access thematic exhibitions in galleries one to seven with general admission tickets of HK$50 and HK$25 for concessions.

Special exhibition tickets cost HK$120 for adults and HK$60 for concessionary groups to access galleries eight and nine.

An annual membership at HK$600 for adults and HK$300 for concessionary groups allows for unlimited admission to all thematic exhibitions.

"To celebrate National Day on October 1 we will display Sangxingdui remains from Sichuan," Ng said. The exhibition will start in late September.

Sanxingdui is an archaeological site containing bronze, jade, gold and pottery ornaments from 2,600 to 3,300 years ago. The site trended on mainland social media for the peculiar-looking bronze masks.

Most artifacts of this upcoming exhibition will be on display outside Sichuan for the first time.

"In November, we will have an exhibition of paintings from the National Gallery in Britain, including works from Monet and Van Gogh," he said.

Despite canceling free Wednesday admission, Ng said the museum will continue to distribute free tickets to people in need and to invite more disadvantaged groups to visit.

To mark its first anniversary, the museum will show 51 exhibits loaned by the Palace Museum in Beijing. Exhibits include the painting "Presenting the Empress's Investiture Book and Seal at the Hall of Union," which shows the wedding of the Guangxu Emperor, and gold "Seal of the Empress," formerly belonging to Wanrong and the only known surviving seal of an empress.

Gallery 2 shows new exhibit "The Maze" from Twenty Views of European-style Mansions in the Garden of Perfect Brightness, a set of prints of the scenery of the Yuanmingyuan and the integration of European and Chinese painting styles and architectural features in the Qing dynasty.

Gallery 5 hosts "Ewer in the shape of pine tree" and "Brush pot in the shape of Chinese cabbage," both grade one national treasures made with bamboo, and red lacquered wooden "Box with sea creatures."

lorraine.chiang@singtaonewscorp.com