Supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club), exclusively sponsored by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), organised by the Palace Museum and in partnership with Tai Kwun, the exhibition “FLASH! The Palace Museum - A Pop-Up Digital Experience” was launched today (17 January) at Tai Kwun and will run until 31 January. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition at the F Hall Studio free of charge with no registration required. The exhibition is one of the activities under the “With you. Then. Now. Always.” campaign in celebration of the Club’s 140th anniversary.

An opening ceremony for the exhibition was held today at Tai Kwun JC Cube. Officiating guests included HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law, Club Steward and Chairman of the IoP Lester Huang, and Deputy Director of the Palace Museum Zhu Hongwen.

HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law expressed her gratitude to the Club and the IoP for supporting the exhibition. She said the exhibition presents Chinese culture as embodied by the Palace Museum in digital form, infusing new vitality into traditional culture.

Club Steward and IoP Chairman Lester Huang said the two organisations are committed to promoting arts and cultural heritage. Being one of the key activities of the “Promotion of Chinese Culture and Arts Tech Talent Development in the Mainland and Hong Kong”, a collaborative initiative between the Club, the IoP and the Palace Museum, the exhibition vividly introduces the architecture and artefacts of the former palace through interactive multimedia technology. Visitors can immerse themselves in a cultural journey to appreciate the unique artistic charm of the Palace Museum, exploring the wisdom and exemplary traditional Chinese culture it represents.

Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum, its Deputy Director Zhu Hongwen explained that this is its first pop-up exhibition in Hong Kong to showcase the Palace Museum’s architecture and artefacts through modern technology. It provides the public and tourists with an opportunity to experience the palace’s culture at close range, while also promoting cultural exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Highlights of the “FLASH! The Palace Museum - A Pop-Up Digital Experience” include: “Four Seasons at The Palace Museum”, which uses digital technology to reveal the beauty of the Gate of Imperial Supremacy (Huangji men), the main entrance to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou gong), across all four seasons; “Impression of the Corner Tower”, which uses virtual reality (VR) to bring to life the construction and painting process of the four Corner Towers of the Forbidden City, which applies the unique architectural feature of “nine beams, eighteen columns, and seventy-two ridges”; and “Treasured collections”, with selected precious artefacts from the museum’s collection. Placed within a digital cabinet, 22 of them are interactive.

With contemporary digital imagery, “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains”, the sole surviving work by Northern Song dynasty painter Wang Ximeng, has been revitalised for the exhibition. Traditional symbols representing good fortune are transformed into flowing light and shadow, immersing viewers in an animated scroll of ancient artistry. In addition, visitors can participate in interactive activities that allow them to prepare delicacies and gain insights into court dining traditions. By using mobile apps, visitors can also experience life in the imperial court and explore Chinese culture and history, such as ancient textile and embroidery techniques.

In conjunction with the exhibition, two Tai Kwun Conversations will be hosted for knowledge sharing and cultural exchange. “Art technology Meets Traditional Culture” examines the application of art technology to historical exhibitions, education and performing arts, while “Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Chengqiangong” dissects the unique architectural structure and historical evolution of Chengqiangong, highlighting the importance of heritage preservation in maintaining historical and cultural significance.

In May 2024, the Club and the IoP signed the Memorandum of Co-operation “Promotion of Chinese Culture and Arts Tech Talent Development in the Mainland and Hong Kong” with the Palace Museum. The IoP, a charitable organisation established by the Club and its Charities Trust, donated approximately HK$440 million (RMB￥371 million) to promote Chinese culture and values in Hong Kong, the Mainland and worldwide, and to support talent development initiatives in the arts technology and cultural sectors. This collaboration is an important contribution to the development of Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange as outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

The five-year collaboration includes restoration and conservation of the historic Chengqiangong, which is being transformed into “The Palace Museum Hong Kong Cultural Exchange Hub” to facilitate cultural exchange in art technology and cultural education through exhibitions and programmes. Apart from “FLASH! The Palace Museum - A Pop-Up Digital Experience”, the Club and the IoP are supporting the Palace Museum to launch a number of exhibition and talent capacity building programmes.

The Club has come a long way since its founding as a racing and members club. Over the past 140 years, its partnership with the community has thrived thanks to a unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong. The Club – under the banner “With You. Then. Now. Always.” – has organised a series of celebratory initiatives to mark this milestone and recognise Hong Kong people’s contribution to its mission to act continuously for the betterment of society. For more information, please visit https://campaign.hkjc.com/140/en/

The Club’s support for the exhibition “FLASH! The Palace Museum - A Pop-Up Digital Experience”, like all its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of society. The Club has a unique integrated business model comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2023/24, the Club returned a total of HK$40.1 billion to the community. This included HK$29.9 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$10.2 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.

About The Institute of Philanthropy
The Institute of Philanthropy was established in September 2023 through a strategic seed grant of HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust. Established as a “think-fund-do” tank for China and Asia, IoP is dedicated to promoting philanthropic thought-leadership and enhancing sector capabilities at local, regional and global levels in collaboration with fellow funders. It seeks to provide an Asia-based platform bringing global stakeholders together to promote the betterment of societies everywhere.