Poster for the media briefing
Prince Kung’s Palace Museum announced its new logos, events and exhibitions for the remainder of 2023 to celebrate its 40th anniversary on April 17 at the Grand Theatre.
Onsite view of the media briefing
The Museum will celebrate its 40th birthday on December 14, 2023. To showcase its efforts in conserving cultural relics and innovation over the past 40 years, it will launch a series of events based on the theme of enhancing its public service ability and quality and publicizing the phrase “go to Prince Kung’s Palace Museum”.
New museum logos unveiled
New logo of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum
The new logo of the museum integrates the structures of two Chinese characters - gong (the Chinese character for the prince’s noble title) and fu (the Chinese character for “blessing”) - and resembles the layout plan of the museum. It indicates that the blessing can be found in the museum.
The logo reflects that Prince Kung’s Palace Museum is built on historical relics and features fu culture, with the core mission of researching, exhibiting, and spreading the culture of the princely palace.
Logo for the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum
A specific logo for the 40th anniversary was created by combining polychrome blocks into the numeral “40”. This design symbolizes the diverse cultural events to be launched throughout the year, as well as the broad participation of various social forces.
The shape of the numeral “40” is designed to resemble the English word “go”, skillfully combining the 40th-anniversary activities with the theme of “go to Prince Kung’s Palace Museum”. In addition, the logo incorporates the Chinese characters for 'joy' (le) and 'harmony' (he) in a subtle and tasteful way.
Exhibitions
Exhibition on the craftsmanship of traditional architecture models
1. Craftsmanship of Traditional Architecture Models (March 20-June 25)
The exhibition aims to present traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics and the craftsmen’s pursuit of excellence.
2. 40 Years of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum in the Eyes of Neighbors (to open in August)
This exhibition is a collaborative effort between the museum and the Shichahai neighborhood committee office, and will be the first to implement the museum’s concept of organizing exhibitions through museum-neighborhood interaction.
3. Life of Youth in the Palace during the Qing Dynasty (to open in September)
The exhibition will feature a selection of collections from Prince Kung’s Palace Museum and the Palace Museum, introducing to visitors the education and daily lives of the young nobles during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
4. The “Fu” Culture of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum (to open in December)
The exhibition on fu culture at Prince Kung’s Palace Museum will be unveiled at the end of this year after it has completed some transformation and upgrading.
5. Silk Textile from the Former Collection of Prince Kung’s Palace (to open in December)
An exhibition showcasing silk and embroidery works from the collections of the Liaoning Provincial Museum and the Palace Museum will unveil the art and techniques of Chinese kesi and embroidery, along with the intriguing stories behind these old collectibles from Prince Kung’s Palace Museum.
6. Digital Exhibition of Former Collection of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum (to be launched in December)
Onsite view of the media briefing
This year, the Prince Kung’s Palace Museum plans to leverage new media to create digital versions of its collection and establish a new exhibition format that combines online and offline experiences.
The digital exhibition will feature some of the most potent artifacts that have already been repatriated to the museum and a dozen of those that are still lost overseas, for an online reunification.
7. When Online Literature Meets Traditional Chinese Culture (scheduled for September)
Award-winning works of the previous competition co-organized by the Prince Kung’s Palace Museum and China Literature will be paired with intangible cultural heritage items and showcased both online and offline.
Digital application
The “Panoramic Prince Kung’s Palace Museum” (to be launched in December)
The digital system offers the museum’s guided tour services, with the cute “fu” family members – cartoon avatars of the museum – as virtual tour guides providing pre-recorded information.
Cultural events
The Blossoms of Wisdom gathering resumed in April, and continued to promote traditional poetry and Chinese aesthetics.
"Echoes of Classics: The Season of Intangible Cultural Heritage Performances" during China Cultural and Natural Heritage Day will showcase classic plays that were once performed in the ancient Prince Kung's Palace.
During the upcoming 40th-anniversary open-house event in December, Prince Kung’s Palace Museum will host a gathering of experts, scholars, neighbors, and friends to reflect on the past and discuss the future.
Publications and academic research
The 2023 Annual Meeting of the Research Committee on the History and Culture of Princely Residences of the Forbidden City Society
Prince Kung’s Palace Museum places academic research at the core of its sustainable development and has established three research directions: history and cultural significance of princely residences, traditional crafts and intangible cultural heritages, and the relationship between cultural relics and museums.
To mark its 40 years of development, the museum will compile its academic accomplishments and publish a commemorative album that showcases its achievements.
International communication and exchanges
Prince Kung’s Palace Museum will play a leading role in establishing a conservation alliance for princely residence sites in the second half of 2023.
The alliance, comprised of members responsible for supervising and managing princely residences from both China and abroad, will conduct regular and long-term exchanges and cooperation to strengthen the preservation efforts for these heritage buildings.
Cultural and creative products
Prince Kung’s Palace Museum plans to broaden its branding scope and develop a range of cultural and creative products to offer to the public. This will allow the museum to expand its offerings and engage with a wider audience.
In the days to follow, it is the plan of the museum to upgrade its gift shops, launch a café, and introduce new types of cultural and creative products. These products will include interactive short videos and role-play games.
Onsite view of the media briefing
