The Hong Kong Palace Museum opened its doors to the public on Sunday, following a day’s delay caused by Typhoon Chaba.

The museum, which is linked to its namesake in Beijing, was initially scheduled to open on July 2. However, its debut was delayed due to the T8 storm signal, which remained hoisted until late Saturday afternoon.

The validity of opening day tickets was extended for 180 days, and the museum opened from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Concession tickets are available at half price for groups such as full-time students and those aged 60 or above. Entry will be free every Wednesday for the first year.

The plan to build the museum was announced in 2016 by then-chief secretary Carrie Lam. The project was controversial from the beginning, kept secret from top ranking staff members, and announced before any public consultation was conducted.

The construction of the building began in March 2019, and was completed in December last year.