POLY MGM MUSEUM’s “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” Exhibition Celebrates Millennia of Civilization

POLY MGM MUSEUM is proud to present a cultural highlight: “The Vanishing Mogao Caves” concert by UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador and internationally acclaimed composer and conductor Tan Dun, to be held on October 6 and 7 at Fantasy Box, MGM MACAU.

As POLY MGM MUSEUM unveils its new exhibition “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” in October, the Museum is proud to invite UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador and internationally acclaimed conductor-composer Tan Dun to present a cultural highlight, “The Vanishing Mogao Caves” concert, on October 6 and 7 at Fantasy Box, MGM MACAU. This concert is not only a visual and auditory feast but also serves as a profound artistic reflection on millennia-old civilization and a creative reconstruction of cultural memory. Together with the upcoming “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” exhibition, both initiatives will help construct a multidimensional space for Silk Road culture to be experienced and reimagined.

A Journey Through Time: Reviving the Legacy of the Silk Road

As an essential extension of the “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” exhibition, “The Vanishing Mogao Caves” concert offers a rare artistic journey—not a mere echo of the past, but a creative revival rooted in deep scholarly research. Drawing from the ancient scores and dance notations rediscovered in the Library Cave of the Mogao Caves, Tan Dun breathes life to the music through his translation and arrangement of these ancient manuscripts. Ancient instruments such as the phoenix-headed konghou, five-string pipa and the bili, long lost to time, are also revived from the murals on the walls and take center stage, transforming from silent relics into vibrant voices of history. Further inspired by the Dunhuang cultural elements featured in the exhibition, Tan Dun blends historical reconstruction with contemporary expression, crafting a dynamic and immersive musical scroll that brings the spirit of Dunhuang vividly to life.

At MGM MACAU’s Fantasy Box, the audience will be invited into a cultural experience—where history, artistry, and craftsmanship converge. “The Vanishing Mogao Caves” concert, in dialogue with the “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” exhibition, offers more than a performance: it is a celebration of heritage, a revival of ancient soundscapes, and a living testament to the enduring spirit of the Silk Road. Together, they illuminate how tradition continues to resonate in today’s Macau. In addition, tickets for this concert are priced at MOP 380 and 480, and are now available via MGM’s official website, Damai, Maoyan, and UUTix.

POLY MGM MUSEUM’s new exhibition “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” will not only showcase the cultural heritage of the Belt and Road and framed by the intangible cultural legacies of East and West but also focus on Dunhuang civilization. Featuring ancient Silk Road instruments reconstructed by Tan Dun after years of research, the exhibition and the concert will foster a cross-media cultural exchange.

Silk Road Exhibition Opens in October, Bridging the Past and Present of the Silk Road

To commemorate the 12^th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, POLY MGM MUSEUM will launch its new exhibition “Silk Roads Beyond Borders” this October. Anchored in the cultural heritage of the Belt and Road and framed by the intangible cultural legacies of East and West, the exhibition features four thematic chapters and over 200 rare artifacts; through Sand and Wind, Gilded Threads, The Golden Bough, and Road to the Future, together vividly illustrating the grandeur of millennia-long civilizational exchange along the Silk Road.

A major highlight of the exhibition focuses on Dunhuang civilization, featuring works by generations of scholars such as Chang Shuhong and Chang Shana—underscoring over 80 years of dedication to preserving Dunhuang art. The exhibition also showcases ancient Silk Road instruments, which have been reconstructed by Tan Dun after years of research, in a bid to foster a cross-media cultural exchange with “The Vanishing Mogao Caves” concert.

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