Image: University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong
The University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong and the Alliance Française de Hong Kong are jointly presenting ‘The Little Prince and the Pilot’, a multigenerational exhibition timed to the 80th anniversary of the publication of ‘The Little Prince’ in France. The show opens on 26 June 2026 and runs through 18 October 2026 at UMAG’s 1/F T. T. Tsui Building in Pokfulam, bringing together archival and editorial materials that trace the life and work of author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
According to UMAG, the exhibition takes the form of a thematic journey through Saint-Exupéry’s biography and creative world. Rare photographs, letters, maps, personal items, manuscripts and original editions introduce visitors to a figure described by the museum as embodying several roles at once: family man, friend, writer, painter, aviation pioneer and explorer. The presentation is built around the idea that Saint-Exupéry’s varied experiences shaped the imagination that later found expression in ‘The Little Prince’.
The world-famous book is the exhibition’s central focus. UMAG says visitors will be able to follow the character of the Little Prince through design drawings and quotations, and to examine the story’s initial concept, its creation, and selected details of its editorial and publication process. Rather than treating the book only as a finished literary work, the exhibition places attention on the sequence of ideas and materials that led to it, linking the text to Saint-Exupéry’s broader creative development.
The exhibition also offers what UMAG describes as a comprehensive portrait of the author’s extraordinary journey, drawing on multiple perspectives to connect the personal and the literary. The museum’s website notes that the display explores the experiences that inspired ‘The Little Prince’, and positions the book within a wider life story shaped by travel, aviation and artistic practice. A Hong Kong-exclusive display of character sculptures is also included, intended as a photo opportunity for visitors.
‘The Little Prince and the Pilot’ is one of two current onsite exhibitions listed by UMAG, alongside ‘100-Story 100 Stories: Toshio Iwai’s Art Journey’. The museum, part of The University of Hong Kong, presents exhibitions, events, digital exhibitions and publications from its base at 90 Bonham Road. Its August newsletter places the new Saint-Exupéry show within that wider programme of summer and autumn activity.
UMAG says the exhibition is generously supported by IWC Schaffhausen and the HKU Museum Society. Related public programming includes a guided tour titled ‘The Little Prince and the Pilot’ and a screening event, ‘Odyssey Through Time: Wandering the Stars with The Little Prince’, scheduled in three sessions on 29 August, 5 September and 10 October 2026 at the Study Gallery, G/F, Fung Ping Shan Building, UMAG, HKU.
