Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum

Hong Kong Palace Museum · Gallery 4 · Hong Kong · –

Key facts

GUAN makes in-depth guides to time-limited special exhibitions: each selected work has commentary and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and English, and every key fact cites its source.

Dates
Mar 20, 2026 to Mar 17, 2027 (First period: Mar 20–Jun 15; Second period: Jun 17–Sep 14; Third period: Sep 16–Dec 14; Fourth period: Dec 16–Mar 17)
Venue
Hong Kong Palace Museum · West Kowloon Cultural District · Hong Kong · West Kowloon Cultural District, 8 Museum Drive, Kowloon
Opening hours
10:00–18:00
Closed
Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year; open Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Admission
General Admission (adult) HK$70; General Admission (concession) HK$35
GUAN guide
4 selected works with text and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and English; free
Highlights
Marking the 2026 Year of the Horse, nearly 100 horse paintings by more than 60 artists from the Yuan dynasty to the 20th century, seen through court and literati, classical and modern, Chinese and European perspectives, in four sections and four rotations.

Marking the 2026 Year of the Horse, nearly 100 horse paintings by more than 60 artists from the Yuan dynasty to the 20th century, seen through court and literati, classical and modern, Chinese and European perspectives, in four sections and four rotations. Most come from the Palace Museum, with loans from the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Rotation 3 runs to December 14; rotation 4 starts on December 16.

In-depth audio guide

Plan your visit

Display periods
  • First period: –
  • Second period: –
  • Third period: –
  • Fourth period: –
Opening hours
10:00–18:00 Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays until 20:00. The ticket office closes one hour before the museum.
Closed
Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year; open Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Closed during the exhibition
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Admission
  • General Admission (adult) HK$70
  • General Admission (concession) HK$35
Reservation
Included in General Admission (Galleries 1–7). Prices are for a dated Regular ticket; a Flex ticket valid any day of a given month is HKD 90 adult, HKD 45 concession. Concessions: children aged 7 to 11, full-time students, people aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and one companion, and CSSA recipients. Children aged 6 and under free. Buy ahead.
Address
West Kowloon Cultural District, 8 Museum Drive, Kowloon

Information verified · Check the official site for same-day updates

Works (4)

  1. guide-hundred-steeds. A Hundred Horses Anonymous · Painting; medium and support not specified in the consulted official sources · Late Qing dynasty or later · Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; gift of Mr Peter Chow — Let the herd become a series of small encounters: standing, bending, turning and resting.
  2. guide-zhaojun. Lady Zhaojun Leaving the Frontier (from Stories of Legends) Qiu Ying · Album leaf, ink and colour on silk · Ming dynasty, mid-16th century · The Palace Museum — A wheel, a camel and mounted travellers turn a small album leaf into a journey.
  3. guide-herding. Herding by a Stream in the Mountains Zha Shibiao · Hanging scroll, ink on paper · Qing dynasty, 1686 · The Palace Museum — The horses are small enough to make the space around them the real event.
  4. guide-rainstorm. The Steed Hualiu in Wind and Rain Gao Jianfu · Painting; medium and support not specified in the consulted official sources · About the 1910s (museum dating) · Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Huo Pao-tsai, Mr Lai Tak and others — One horse holds the storm: follow its lifted body against the sweep of the trees.

Questions

Is there an audio guide for Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum?

Yes. GUAN selected 4 works from the exhibition, each with text and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and English. All of it is free.

How much is admission to Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum?

General Admission (adult) HK$70; General Admission (concession) HK$35.

When is Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum on, and does the display change?

Mar 20, 2026 to Mar 17, 2027. First period: Mar 20–Jun 15; Second period: Jun 17–Sep 14; Third period: Sep 16–Dec 14; Fourth period: Dec 16–Mar 17.

What are the opening hours of Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum?

Open 10:00–18:00. Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays until 20:00. The ticket office closes one hour before the museum. Closed: Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year; open Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

Official website

Sources for this page

More at this museum

On now and opening soon in Hong Kong