As world renowned museums are seeking external connections in recent years, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden has cooperated with WestHK Cultural District, Museums Victoria also signs a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong Palace Museum at the Hong Kong International Cultural Summit.
Guest speakers from arts and cultural institutions both in China and abroad, representatives signing letters of intent, and representatives from the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority gathered at the Xiqu Centre to attend the "Hong Kong International Cultural Summit Forum 2026". (Photo provided by the organizers)
In interviews with Bastillepost, Dr. Bernd Ebert, General Director of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in Germany, and Lynley Crosswell, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Museums Victoria in Australia, both point out that museums must be community-based and seize opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Guest speakers from arts and cultural institutions both in China and abroad, representatives signing letters of intent, and representatives from the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority gathered at the Xiqu Centre to attend the "Hong Kong International Cultural Summit Forum 2026". (Photo provided by the organizers)
The Dresden Royal Palace, located within Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in Germany. (Image source: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden website)
Dr. Bernd Ebert, General Director of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Photo by Bastillepost
Museums Victoria in Australia, comprises the Melbourne Museum, the Science Exhibition Centre, the Immigration Museum, the Royal Exhibition Building (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and an IMAX cinema within the Melbourne Museum. It is Australia's largest public museum. (Image source: Museums Victoria website)
Lynley Crosswell, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Museums Victoria. Photo by Bastillepost
The "Hong Kong International Cultural Summit 2026" is launched with a signing ceremony for a letter of intent for cooperation and a welcome dinner held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. (Photo provided by the organizers)
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, one of the world's most renowned and oldest museums and research institutions, originated from the 16th-century court collection of the Electors of Saxony, particularly the art collection rooms established in the Dresden Royal Palace in 1560. In 2010, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden celebrated its 450th anniversary.
The Dresden Royal Palace, located within Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in Germany. (Image source: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden website)
Bernd Ebert, as the General Director of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, participates in a panel discussion on "Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Museums." In an interview with Bastillepost, he states that at Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, their collaborations with commercial companies go beyond financial sponsorship; they also involve the exchange of ideas on various projects, working together to achieve common goals.
Dr. Bernd Ebert, General Director of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Photo by Bastillepost
Ebert believes that entrepreneurial strategies can bring new opportunities to museums. "For example, we partner with opera houses or universities, which means new customers and clients for museums," Ebert notes. "These people may be interested in music or other specific fields, but this is very effective in attracting new audiences."
According to data jointly released by Chinese and Turkish scholars in June 2025, 14.6% of museum practitioners surveyed believed that artificial intelligence (AI) has many positive impacts, while 87% of participants believed that the use of AI can enhance accessibility and attract different audiences.
To this, Ebert says that his ideal museum would focus more on the exhibits themselves rather than immersive experiences. He explains that most museum exhibits are quite fragile, so AI isn't always necessary to achieve the desired display effect. However, AI can be used in certain cases. For example, the museum has collaborated with universities specializing in science and technology to bring exhibits to life through mechanical and AI technologies. "For instance, we use these technologies in the puppetry collection," Ebert notes.
Museums must protect their collections while also engaging with the public, Ebert emphasizes the crucial importance of maintaining close contact with the public and promoting the collection during the preservation and collection process. He adds that keeping in touch with the public throughout the project is also one of the museum's goals.
Ebert's museum career began in 2005. From 2007 to 2013, as Academic Advisor to the Director General and the Senior Officer for International Relations, coordinating research and scholarship initiatives and leading international cooperation across the collections, he facilitated EU-led collaborative projects involving national museums from China, Japan, the UAE, the US, Brazil, and Georgia.
Ebert believes that collaborations between museums from different countries can yield diverse inspirations, especially with younger cultural institutions like the West Kowloon Cultural District, where experiences can be shared. He points out, "Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and the West Kowloon Cultural District have a long-standing collaboration, jointly researching collections and sharing cultural knowledge."
Museums Victoria in Australia recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong Palace Museum at the Hong Kong International Cultural Summit. The Museum of Victoria, comprising the Melbourne Museum, Science Exhibition Centre, Immigration Museum, the Royal Exhibition Building (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the IMAX cinema within the Melbourne Museum, is Australia's largest public museum, attracting over 3 million visitors annually.
Museums Victoria in Australia, comprises the Melbourne Museum, the Science Exhibition Centre, the Immigration Museum, the Royal Exhibition Building (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and an IMAX cinema within the Melbourne Museum. It is Australia's largest public museum. (Image source: Museums Victoria website)
"We are very excited to collaborate with the Hong Kong team on future exhibits and exhibitions," says Lynley Crosswell, CEO of Museums Victoria, in an interview. "We hope to co-organize an exhibition in Melbourne within the next 18 months."
Lynley Crosswell, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Museums Victoria. Photo by Bastillepost
Crosswell believes that the core of a "community-based" museum is to make members of different communities feel a sense of belonging and become part of the museum's exhibits.
Therefore, Museums Victoria collaborated with the Aboriginal communities of Victoria to create the permanent exhibition "First Peoples" at the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre within the Melbourne Museum, an exhibition that has won several awards. Crosswell states that at the outset of the exhibition, they consulted with Aboriginal communities about how they would like their culture to be presented and interpreted. "Understanding the needs and interests of different communities is really important; we use this to determine the content and approach of our presentation," Crosswell says.
To more accurately and comprehensively showcase the various communities within the museum, Crosswell invited members from different communities to share their stories and express their perspectives on relevant issues. "On topics that resonate with all of humanity, such as 'happiness,' we invited seven artists from diverse backgrounds to interpret the theme," Crosswell explaines. "This approach was also used at the Immigration Museum, and it worked very well."
Crosswell notes, "In this ever-changing world, building trustworthy relationships with members of different communities allows us to stand out in a world filled with unrealistic, AI-generated content."
The "Hong Kong International Cultural Summit 2026" is launched with a signing ceremony for a letter of intent for cooperation and a welcome dinner held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. (Photo provided by the organizers)
