On October 1, 2004, the Forbidden City International Photography Exhibition opened in Beijing's Palace Museum. Its theme "dialogue among civilizations," the exhibition comprises 300 photos by 40 renowned international and Chinese photographers. It was a prelude to the ongoing twelve-month 80th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Palace Museum.

During the period the exhibition is open, the Palace Museum will hold slide show evenings and international photography forums. The celebrated photographers in attendance will stage a three-day photography activity, and their works are to be published in an album entitled "Forbidden City: Dialogue Among Civilizations."