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Leopold Chen

A highly anticipated exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum of relics from ancient Egypt descended into chaos on Saturday, with visitors complaining a confusing queuing system left them waiting for hours and many demanding a refund.
The museum apologised in the evening and promised to offer additional access for the affected visitors.
“Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” features 250 artefacts, including a towering statue of Tutankhamun, and is the largest display yet of relics from the ancient civilisation in the city.
Egyptian Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Yomna El-Bahar came to Hong Kong for the opening on Thursday.

The nine-month exhibition is a follow-up to a highly successful one in Shanghai that came ahead of celebrations to mark 70 years of diplomatic ties between China and the Middle Eastern country next year.
Social media users shared on Saturday that visitors had to start queuing on the second floor to enter the exhibition hall on the fourth floor, only to then discover the line was reserved for taking the lifts to the third floor.
Those who reached the third floor would need to queue up again to go up one more, one user said.
Some said that when they finally reached the fourth floor, they were told they needed to get waiting tickets and return at the specified time.
“If you are planning to visit, please reserve at least two hours for queuing, because the flow management here is extremely bad,” one social media user wrote.

They slammed the museum for failing to provide clear directions and to prevent people from jumping the queue.
“We decided to cancel our tickets, but there was also a long queue at the refund counter, and it will take six to eight weeks to get a refund,” one user wrote. “I am very angry. Our family activity turned into a disaster.”
The museum announced on its social media accounts at around 6pm that all tickets were sold out and asked holders to keep waiting outside the gate and follow the staff’s instructions.
At around 8pm, the museum said it would offer the ticket holders an additional visit on any day in the coming three months.
It added that it had extended the opening hour of the exhibition by one hour until 9pm on Saturday and by two hours till 8pm on Sunday.

“We recommend visitors to plan their visit in the morning or early evening to avoid peak afternoon crowds,” it said.
“Please note that only a limited number of tickets will be available for on-site purchase, and ticket sales may be suspended during peak periods depending on visitor flow. Visitors are encouraged to plan their visit and book tickets online in advance,” it said.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by today’s admission arrangements. Moving forward, we will review our procedures and allocate additional staff to assist with on-site operations.”
Souvenirs, such as Egyptian cultural-themed blind boxes and black cat dolls, have become hot items on social media, and one user reported queing an hour to purchase a doll.
Tickets cost HK$190 (US$24) for adults and HK$95 for concessions, with other discounts and entry combinations available.
The museum expected to draw over 700,000 visitors across the nine-month period.


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Hong Kong society

‘Disaster’: Egyptian exhibition at Hong Kong museum descends into chaos

Hours-long lines formed at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Saturday for “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums”. Photo: Handout 

Anthropoid coffins are among the artefacts being displayed. Photo: Sam Tsang

The museum announced on its social media accounts at around 6pm that all tickets were sold out. Photo: Handout

Souvenirs, such as Egyptian cultural-themed blind boxes and black cat dolls, have become hot items on social media, Photo: Handout

Tutankhamun statue among 250 Egyptian artefacts to be shown in Hong Kong

A statue of Tutankhamun is the centrepiece of the show at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Photo: Sam Tsang

A calf cartonnage displayed at the musuem. Tickets to the exhibition are HK$190 for adults. Photo: Sam Tsang

What to see at Hong Kong Palace Museum’s ancient Egypt exhibition – 5 of the best exhibits

A statue of Tutankhamun is seen at the “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The statue has been made “whole” with special projection-mapping technology. Photo: Sam Tsang

The exhibition includes 250 ancient Egyptian artefacts. Photo: Sam Tsang

A statue of Tutankhamun at the exhibition. Photo: Sam Tsang

Cat mummies at the exhibition. Photo: Sam Tsang

The figure of a calf used as a case for a mummy. The goddess Isis was often worshipped through the mummification of calves. Photo: Chloe Loung

A statue of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut at the exhibition. Photo: Chloe Loung

Canopic jars at the exhibition. Photo: Chloe Loung

A limestone stele reveals the deep connection between kingdoms during the Roman period. Photo: Chloe Loung

News

Hong Kong

Society

Visitors complain of confusing queuing system that left them waiting needlessly for hours, triggering apology from museum


Visitors complain of confusing queuing system that left them waiting needlessly for hours, triggering apology from museum.


Egypt

Shanghai

China

Hong Kong Museum of Art

‘Disaster’: Egyptian exhibition at Hong Kong museum descends into chaos

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Visitors complain of confusing queuing system that left them waiting needlessly for hours, triggering apology from museum

Visitors complain of confusing queuing system that left them waiting needlessly for hours, triggering apology from museum