We’re hosting a new exhibition marking the centenary of China’s prestigious Palace Museum.
Our Oriental Museum is the venue for “Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum”.
We are the only place outside of China to host the photography exhibition. It commemorates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum, established in 1925 and based on the site of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
The exhibition runs at the Oriental Museum, on Elvet Hill, Durham City, until 31 May 2026.
“Journey of a Century” traces the extraordinary transformation of the Palace Museum over the past century - from an imperial residence of 24 emperors to a world-renowned museum, research hub, cultural destination, and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The exhibition opens with a look at the Forbidden City as the heart of imperial China for over 500 years.
It goes on to explore the birth of the Palace Museum during a period of political upheaval and the wartime efforts to protect its treasures during the Japanese invasion (1931–1945).
And it examines the major preservation and academic projects that followed the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
Representatives from the Palace Museum, including Deputy Director Zhu Hongwen, and Tang Rui, Consul-General of the Chinese Embassy in Manchester, visited Durham to see a preview of the exhibition.
Our close working with the Palace Museum furthers knowledge and understanding in conservation, exhibitions, and cultural heritage protection. We are also advancing studies in archaeology, ancient culture, and the environment.
Our partnership has led to academic collaboration, student and staff exchanges, professional development, and public engagement.
Durham was also the first English university archaeological team which was permitted to excavate within the walls of the Forbidden City.
Gillian Ramsay, Assistant Curator at our Oriental Museum, views part of the exhibition “Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum”.
Visitors to the preview of the exhibition, “Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum”. The exhibition runs at Durham University’s Oriental Museum, on Elvet Hill, Durham City, until 31 May 2026.
Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum” traces the extraordinary transformation of the Palace Museum over the past century - from an imperial residence of 24 emperors to a world-renowned museum, research hub, cultural destination, and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Through this exhibition, we hope to present to the public a Palace Museum that bridges past and present, carries forward tradition, and renews itself with lasting vitality. At the same time, this exhibition marks a new chapter in the cooperation between the Palace Museum and Durham University.
Our Oriental Museum is free to visit. Opening times can be found on the Museum’s website.
“Journey of a Century” is complemented by an online showcase in both English and Chinese languages, broadening public access to the Palace Museum’s history.
Read more about the groundbreaking partnership between Durham University and the Palace Museum.
Our Department of Archaeology is ranked sixth in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Visit our Archaeology webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Our School of Modern Languages and Cultures is frequently ranked among the top five in the UK. Visit our Modern Languages and Cultures webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Main image: (L-R) Professor Claire O’Malley, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global), Professor Karen O’Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden, both of Durham University, Tang Rui, Consul-General of the Chinese Embassy in Manchester, and Palace Museum Deputy Director Zhu Hongwen, at the opening of “Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum” at Durham University’s Oriental Museum.
/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/central-news-and-events-images/83431-1920X290.jpg)