Cover Johannes Vermeer, “The Love Letter”, c. 1669–1670, oil on canvas, Collection Rijksmuseum. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
Johannes Vermeer, “The Love Letter”, c. 1669–1670, oil on canvas, Collection Rijksmuseum. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
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A 2027 blockbuster featuring Johannes Vermeer’s “The Love Letter” and the Greater Bay Area’s largest Rembrandt presentation marks the Hong Kong Palace Museum’s 20th international collaboration
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, formalising a partnership that will bring approximately 100 Dutch Golden Age works to Hong Kong in 2027.
Signed in Amsterdam on October 21, 2026 by HKPM director Louis Ng and Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits, the agreement anchors the two institutions’s first joint exhibition. The headline loan is Johannes Vermeer’s The Love Letter—making its regional debut—alongside what will be the largest assembly of paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn ever displayed in the Greater Bay Area. Extant paintings attributed to Vermeer number only about 35 worldwide, making loans of this calibre uncommon outside of Europe and North America.
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Above Louis Ng, director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and his Rijksmuseum counterpart, Taco Dibbits. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Palace Museum)
Louis Ng, director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and his Rijksmuseum counterpart, Taco Dibbits. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Palace Museum)
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The Rijksmuseum, situated on Amsterdam’s Museumplein, is the Netherlands’ national museum of art and history. For Hong Kong’s art community and frequent international travellers, it is best known for being home to iconic works by Rembrandt and Vermeer, as well as its dedicated Asian Pavilion, which documents centuries of Dutch trade with Asia.
That historical link provides direct context for the upcoming 2027 show. Alongside major paintings, the exhibition will feature period ship models, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, drawings and prints drawn from the Dutch national collection to trace trade and diplomatic encounters between the Dutch Republic and China during the 17th century.
Above The facade of Rijksmuseum, designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
The facade of Rijksmuseum, designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
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Instead of viewing these works in an isolated European vacuum, the show will frame them around global trade. Hanging fine art alongside maritime artefacts, ceramics and textiles, it aims to illustrate the mutual cultural footprint left by commercial routes between Europe and China.
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The agreement marks the 20th international partnership established by the HKPM since it opened in July 2022. Developed through a collaboration between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Hong Kong institution was built with a HK$3.5 billion donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, which also supports its exhibition and education programming until 2032. While the museum’s core mission focuses on imperial Chinese treasures, it has steadily broadened its portfolio through institutional ties across Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Above Architectural detailing of the Rijksmuseum’s neo-Gothic and Dutch Renaissance revival towers. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
Architectural detailing of the Rijksmuseum’s neo-Gothic and Dutch Renaissance revival towers. (Photo: courtesy of Rijksmuseum)
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The 2027 exhibition will coincide with the planned launch of the WestK Performing Arts Centre, adding another major international programme to the West Kowloon waterfront district, which welcomed a record 17 million visitors in 2025. Alongside the physical exhibition, the HKPM and the Rijksmuseum plan to conduct joint research and educational programming around the collection.
Cyril Ip drives digital strategy and produces in-depth features across print and online platforms. Specialising in contemporary culture, lifestyle and music, he leverages audience analytics to inform incisive storytelling while spearheading branded content collaborations with luxury houses and major cultural institutions.
Shaped by years in Britain, Hong Kong and mainland China, Cyril brings a multifaceted background spanning media, music and publicity. His career includes four years covering culture and diplomacy at the South China Morning Post, as well as leading international campaigns for Chinese singer Tia Ray.
