A MAJOR immersive exhibition showcasing Renaissance art has officially opened in Hong Kong as a highlight of the 2026 French May Arts Festival.

“Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance” offers a unique dual experience, combining interactive multimedia storytelling with physical Renaissance treasures — including four rare original manuscripts by Leonardo da Vinci.

Centered around Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous “Mona Lisa,” the exhibition is divided into two parts.

Part one, “Meet Mona Lisa,” uses cutting-edge digital media and interactive installations, newly tailored to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, to take visitors on a journey through time. Divided into six chapters spanning over 500 years, the section retraces the extraordinary journey of the portrait. The lady herself — the Mona Lisa — serves as a virtual guide, helping visitors explore the stories behind the masterpiece: from its origins as a commissioned portrait that Leonardo kept refining throughout his life but never delivered, to its transformation into a globally captivating cultural icon.

The second section, “Portraying the Renaissance,” features carefully selected Renaissance treasures on loan from prominent cultural institutions in France and Italy. A major treasure is Leonardo da Vinci’s “Codex Atlanticus” (selected pages). Completed around 1514–1515, this precious manuscript is drawn in red and black pencil on paper. It is the largest existing collection of da Vinci’s writings and drawings, covering flight, weapons, musical instruments, mathematics, botany, and more. This rare original offers a direct window into da Vinci’s scientific and inventive mind.

Another highlight is Luca Penni’s “The Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist.” Painted around 1530 on wood panel, this work is on loan from the French National Museum of the Renaissance and stands as one of the museum’s prized holdings.

Additional exhibits include paintings, prints, sculptures, decorative arts, and everyday objects from the Louvre Museum and other leading institutions. Three items from the Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s own collection, as well as paintings by mainland Chinese artist Xu Lei that echo Renaissance aesthetics, are also featured — creating a dialogue across time and space and highlighting the enduring influence of a cultural movement that began in 14th‑century Europe.

Dates: Through July 27

Venue: Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Sha Tin, Hong Kong (SD News)