If the walls of the grand palace buildings, floral motifs and gilded designs of historic art pieces and artifacts could talk, what stories would they share?

Through cutting edge digital technology, the new exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, The Ways in Patterns : An Immersive Digital Exhibition from the Palace Museum, allows visitors to delve – quite literally – into these historically significant designs in an innovative way.

Underway until 13 October 2025, the thematic exhibition is exclusively sponsored by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) and jointly organised by the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Caption: One of the exhibition’s seven immersive spaces, which feature motifs on ceramics and dynamic floor patterns

IoP was established as an independent “think-fund-do” tank for China, Asia and beyond through a seed grant from the Club and its Trust. It is collaborating with the Palace Museum on a five-year initiative to foster cultural exchange and develop arts tech talent. As part of this collaboration, the exhibition also coincides with the Palace Museum’s centennial and is one of the events celebrating the Club’s 140th anniversary.

Caption: Luo Xianliang, Deputy Director of the Palace Museum (centre); Leo Kung, Chairman of the Board of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (second left); Ann Kung, Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Philanthropy and Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (second right); Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (first left); and Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (first right) officiate the “The Ways in Patterns: An Immersive Digital Exhibition from the Palace Museum” opening ceremony

The exhibition shares the art of antique craftsmanship with a new, digitally savvy generation. It allows visitors to step into carefully selected patterns from the Palace Museum’s wealth of architecture, ceramics and embroidered textiles, transformed into fully immersive spaces. This transcends traditional viewing boundaries and offers an exciting new way for visitors to experience the rich tapestry of traditional Chinese culture and deepen their understanding. Visitors can create their own designs of animated fish and birds.
Caption: Interactive digital displays offer an exciting new way for visitors to experience the rich tapestry of traditional Chinese culture and deepen their understanding

To shed light on the intriguing curatorial journey behind the exhibition, the Hong Kong Palace Museum hosted a talk on 14 May. More than 260 members of the public attended and gained insights into how digital technology is being applied to revitalise the heritage of patterns. Caption: Yu Zhuang, Deputy Director of the Palace Museum’s Digital and Information Department, shares how the museum has been preserving and revitalising the heritage of patterns

The talk, delivered by Yu Zhuang, Deputy Director of the Palace Museum’s Digital and Information Department, highlighted the immense potential and innovative value of technology in preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture. He discussed how the Palace Museum has been increasingly digitising cultural heritage, integrating art and technology to enhance visitor experience