Local industry leaders urged Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) to expand its exhibition space and highlight Hong Kong’s cultural innovations to distinguish itself from its global peers, in a bid to increase its appeal to a diverse audience.

With HK$21.6 billion ($2.76 billion) in government funding for the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), where HKPM is situated, expected to run out this year, boosting the museum’s profile and revenue is critical.

“Its modest popularity stems from its inadequate gallery space compared to international counterparts, leading to fragmented exhibitions and insufficient depth for the subject matter,” Mathias Woo told China Daily.

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Woo, artistic director of Hong Kong-based Zuni Icosahedron theater company and an avid global museumgoer, said: “At world-class institutions like the Met (the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) — with its 2-million-square-foot flagship — visitors typically spend days exploring.”  

He highlighted HKPM’s underutilized spaces, including its expansive lobby and staircases, as potential areas for gallery expansion.

Woo said securing additional space is just the first step — HKPM’s true challenge lies in carving out “a distinctive niche” to join the world’s elite museums. “This uniqueness”, he added, “determines why visitors choose you and why peers prefer you for collaborations”.

To maximize limited resources and local relevance, Woo suggested that HKPM prioritize exhibitions showcasing Hong Kong and the wider Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s history and culture. He highlighted Hong Kong’s rich cultural assets — from Louis Cha’s martial arts epics to Taoist traditions and contemporary ink painting — noting their role in Lingnan’s distinctive regional heritage.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology economics professor Francis Lui Ting-ming said that showcasing local culture in WKCD museums will boost Hong Kong’s global soft power.

He maintains that high-quality cultural offerings will attract international visitors seeking authentic experiences — and as a bonus, he said he believes these enthusiasts will help counter misleading geopolitical narratives.

Ling Chun-kit, a standing committee member of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, praised HKPM and M+ as vital platforms for promoting Chinese culture globally through innovative artistic approaches.

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At the opening ceremony of a joint exhibition at HKPM earlier this year, Wang Yuegong, deputy director of the Palace Museum in Beijing (BJPM), cited the development of creative cultural products “with Hong Kong characteristics” as emblematic of such transformative endeavors.

He noted that merchandise at BJPM’s Cultural and Creative Products Hong Kong Space is popular for its designs depicting Hong Kong’s cultural icons — such as the wuxia saga and Hong Kong comics, as well as for Hong Kong artists’ avant-garde reinterpretations of Chinese cultural heritage and BJPM’s key collections.

Since its debut in 2023, the Space has drawn several million visitors, mostly youngsters, to its location within BJPM, Wang added.

Ling proposed greater local support for the country’s global cultural expansion. He argued Hong Kong’s financial expertise and international connectivity make it ideal for promoting Chinese cultural products worldwide.