[The following is issued on behalf of the Institute of Philanthropy]

HELLO! The Palace Museum — School Caravan was officially launched today (10 November), bringing immersive digital cultural experiences to 160 primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland from 2025 to 2028.

Organised by the Palace Museum in partnership with the Academy of Chinese Studies, HELLO! The Palace Museum — School Caravan is exclusively sponsored by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP). It is one of the key initiatives under the five-year collaboration between IoP and the Palace Museum to promote Chinese culture and develop arts tech talent in the Mainland and Hong Kong. It follows the success of FLASH! The Palace Museum — A Pop-Up Digital Experience, which opened in January 2025. 

Today’s launch ceremony was officiated by HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law; IoP Deputy Chairman and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust Ann Kung; Deputy Director of the Palace Museum Wang Yueong; and Chairman of the Academy of Chinese Studies, Professor Lee Chack Fan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Rosanna Law offered her thanks to IoP for supporting the initiative. Ann Kung said the School Caravan’s immersive and interactive digital experience will enable the younger generation to explore the diversity of the Palace Museum and appreciate the wisdom of traditional Chinese culture. Wang Yueong noted that the initiative reflects the Palace Museum’s commitment to innovation and education.

Each year, the School Caravan will visit 30 schools in Hong Kong and 10 on the Chinese Mainland, staying approximately one week at each location. Through high-definition videos, interactive touchscreens, virtual reality (VR) devices and mobile apps, students will explore the Palace Museum’s digital resources — including the acclaimed “Digital Treasures Cabinet” project — designed to foster appreciation of the artistry and design of the museum’s artifacts as well as the richness of traditional Chinese culture and history.

The School Caravan features two custom-designed, transformable interactive educational experience zones:

• The Digital Exhibit Interactive Experience Vehicle offers immersive digital displays within a redesigned container, showcasing traditional Chinese architecture. Students can also explore court attire, digital artifacts, court dining traditions through a rich multi-sensory environment.
• The Public Education Experience is shaped to resemble traditional architectural features, offering students the opportunity to explore the construction and painting process of the Palace Museum’s four Corner Towers through VR devices. It also introduces the Palace Museum’s architecture, cultural relics and court life by providing interactive educational content tailored to primary and secondary students.

About the Institute of Philanthropy
The Institute of Philanthropy was established in September 2023 through a seed grant of HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust. Established as an independent “think-fund-do” tank for China, Asia and beyond, 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.