As part of the Palace Museum's centennial celebrations in 2025, the exhibition "A Century of Stewardship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum" opened to the public on September 30 at the Meridian Gate (Wu men) Gallery of the Palace Museum. Featuring 200 pieces and sets of cultural relics, the exhibition is divided into three sections: "A Lineage of Civilization", "A Century of Endeavor", and "Myriad Visions of Splendor". Together, they offer a comprehensive reflection on the museum's century-long journey of preservation, scholarship, and innovation.

Located in the West Wing Gallery, "A Lineage of Civilization" systematically presents the continuity, preservation, and utilization of imperial collections, highlighting the enduring vitality of Chinese civilization. It revisits key moments in the museum's early history, including its founding, the adoption of the comprehensive conservation plan, the wartime relocation of cultural relics to the south, and the surveying and mapping of the Beijing Central Axis. These episodes together showcase the Palace Museum's early and often arduous efforts to safeguard the nation's cultural heritage.

The Main Hall hosts the section "A Century of Endeavor," which chronicles the formation and growth of the Palace Museum's collections through acquisitions, transfers, and public donations. This section illustrates the historical, artistic, and scientific value of the collections. Through displays on the techniques of painting and calligraphy reproduction and artifact restoration, the exhibition showcases the inheritance of conservation skills. Visitors can also learn about major architectural conservation projects, such as the restoration of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou gong), the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian), and the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian), as well as the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for the Palace Museum and the Beijing Central Axis.

In the East Wing Gallery, "Myriad Visions of Splendor" presents the enduring significance of China's 5,000-year civilization, illustrating how the Palace Museum participates in the Global Civilizations Initiative and promotes dialogue across cultures toward building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The exhibition runs from September 30 to December 30, 2025. Admission is included with a regular museum ticket and requires advance online reservation via the Palace Museum's official WeChat mini-program.

(Source: The Palace Museum)