The Queen reopens British Museum China and South Asia gallery

Her Majesty The Queen officially reopened the Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia at the British Museum in London on Wednesday.

The Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery displays a wide range of objects related to the history of China, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal from 5000BC to the present day.

Queen Elizabeth attends the reopening of the Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia at the British Museum in London on November 8, 2017. [Photo: IC]

Originally opened by The Queen in 1992, the gallery has undergone major renovation and restoration works in the past year.

The refurbishment, made possible by a donation from The Sir Joseph Hotung Charitable Settlement, will allow the gallery to exhibit new types of object, including fragile works such as textiles, ink paintings and calligraphy.

According to Royal Life Magazine, the gallery refurbishments are being unveiled in stages, with the final phase of reopening due to take place in December.

The British Museum is London’s most visited museum, displaying historical objects from around the world.

In 2009, Chinese researchers made the news when they asked the museum to open its archives so they could investigate ‘lost’ objects they claimed were looted from Beijing’s Old Summer Palace by British troops in 1860.