This was totally a spur-of-the-moment brilliant idea. Whilst we were riding the train, my husband and I spotted the ad for the Dunhuang: Untold Tales, Untold Riches exhibit at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. We had the rest of the afternoon free, so we popped over for a little look-see.
Exhibit Details:
Runs until March 16, 2015
Hong Kong Heritage Museum Info:
Open every day but Tuesday
Open from 10 AM - 6/7 pm (later on weekends)
How to get to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum:
1. Get out at Exit A of the Che Kung Temple MTR Station
2. You'll see a river in front of you
3. You'll also be able to see the beautiful Hong Kong Heritage Museum across the water
4. Walk across the footbridge
5. It's easy to make your way to the museum
In Dunhuang, China, a cave was uncovered. In this cave, archeologists found Buddhist murals, etchings, sculptures, and other artifacts. They spanned over many dynasties and were not only being studied, but also being preserved.
Within the Heritage Museum, there were mini replicas of the caves that were placed in the exhibition halls. They give a great feel of how the murals and sculptures were in the actual Dunhuang Caves. It's really an amazing exhibit that far exceeded my expectations.
One of the main focal points for myself was being able to check out the Buddhist sculptures recreated. In the main hall, there was a giant replica of a laying down Buddha. It's absolutely beautiful, especially with replicated murals on the walls behind it.
Every mural, by the way, was explained so beautifully. There were murals that focused on the fashion and aesthetics of women back in the day. The thing that I remembered the most was that women would draw flowers or birds on their cheeks as an ornamentation. It's beautiful to see how this trend was documented in the murals of these Caves.
Besides the main exhibit, we also were drawn to the Poster Exhibit, which, by the way, was a good change of pace/contrast to the Dunhuan exhibit for sure!
The Hong Kong International Poster Triennial 2014 is running until March 6, 2015. It is basically a showcasing of poster designs in the categories of Ideology, Promotion of Cultural Events, Commercial and Advertising, and Thematic.
It's a lot of fodder for the eyes!
It was another great day at the museum!
Also, for anyone who loves to visit the museums, it's best to pick up a museum pass. It's available for purchase at any of the main museums in Hong Kong. We picked up a Family Pass for 200 HKD and renew it every year from the date that we purchased it originally. If you go to museums regularly, then it's worth the fee!
