Dr Raphael Wong says, “This world-class museum is a very important cultural facility for Hong Kong. I very much want to be part of it.”
After earning a PhD in archaeology in the United Kingdom, Dr Raphael Wong returned to Hong Kong to fulfil two wishes. He wanted to continue heritage research while contributing his expertise to the city. In 2020, Dr Wong joined the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) as its first curator, focusing on Chinese ceramics and paintings.
"This world-class museum is a very important cultural facility for Hong Kong. I very much want to be part of it," says Dr Wong, Associate Curator at HKPM. Over the past two years, he has been working intensively with a team of more than 10 researchers and curators to plan and organise the museum’s nine galleries, three of which were tasked to him.
he HKPM project was announced in December 2016. Its construction was funded by a donation of HK$3.5 billion from The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Located by the harbourfront, the sleek seven-storey building is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, resembling classic Chinese utensils such as ding, hu and bowls. The museum opens in July 2022.
Dr Wong says that the museum hopes to take visitors on a journey through different eras of Chinese cultural history – from the introductory exhibition on the Ming and Qing dynasties, through the second gallery showing items from the Qianlong Emperor’s daily life, to exhibitions of ancient ceramics, portraits of emperors and empresses, early Chinese paintings, and ancient horse culture.
Kilian Chan says, "I really enjoy every part of Tai Kwun. For me, this is a space for people to catch their breath in Central. "