The China Red Sandalwood Museum Hengqin Branch opened to the public on Dec 18 with an in-house exhibition of 96 sets of imperial furniture in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland.

The Hengqin branch is the China Red Sandalwood Museum first one outside Beijing. The branch building is in the architectural styles of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties and houses more than 400 exhibits in floor area of 12,000 sq m (3 acres).

The first floor is home to a permanent Exhibition Hall of Red Sandalwood Artwork produced by the China Red Sandalwood Museum. The third floor will stage cooperative exhibitions with domestic and foreign cultural institutions.

Gold-overlaid model of Temple of Heaven [Photo by Li Jianshu / Zhuhai Daily]

The current exhibition, Allure of Forbidden City – Palace Museum Imperial Furniture, is mounted in collaboration with the Palace Museum. It is the first time all 96 sets of furniture exhibited have been away from Beijing and some are making their public debut.

The event is an outcome of a 2017 cooperation agreement between the Palace Museum, China Red Sandalwood Museum, and Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee.

Shan Jixiang, former curator of the Palace Museum, noted that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is the most innovative region with the highest level of opening-up in the country. He expressed hope that the Hengqin branch would exert its role in cultural research, education, and dissemination, enriching spiritual and cultural lives.

The China Red Sandalwood Museum protects historic heritages and promotes traditional Chinese culture. The Hengqin branch is to become a tourism landmark and cultural calling card that contributes to the development of Zhuhai-Macao cultural-tourism industries, cultural exchanges between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and the going out of Chinese culture, said Chan Laiwa, curator of the museum.

Wang Zhongyu, vice chairman of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); Guo Yonghang, Zhuhai Party chief; and other senior officials and executives attended the opening ceremony.