186
RECREATION AND THE ARTS
Major progress has been made in studying, documenting and preserving archaeo- logical and historical remains in Hong Kong following the establishment of an Anti- quities and Monuments Section under an executive secretary.
The work of the section arises from the 1976 Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance, and involves such matters as processing licences to excavate and search for antiquities and the protection of monuments.
Since the ordinance came into effect, the section has been documenting historical buildings and sites, and recording antiquities. An architectural and historical survey of the Sai Kung district was successfully completed with the help of staff and students of the University of Hong Kong. The survey will be the subject of a special report.
Several important additions to the museum's collections were made during the year. Some 34 new items were added to the collection of traditional Chinese musical in- struments and four detailed models of 19th century merchant vessels that played a role in Hong Kong's maritime history were commissioned.
A major project to record Hong Kong's prehistoric rock carvings with rubber latex moulds was successfully completed and a set of polyester resin casts produced. The replicas were the focus of a special exhibition. The problem of preserving the rock carvings themselves was examined by an expert advisory group. It is hoped that its recommendations will be carried out soon.
During the Festival of Asian Arts, the museum organised a special exhibition of Malaysian traditional resist-dyed textiles drawn from the collections of the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur, the Sarawak Museum and the Kuching and Sabah Museum in Kota Kinabalu. The exhibition was supported by demonstrations of ikat weaving and batek making by Malaysian craftsmen.
During the year, five exhibitions were held and attendance figures were high. The museum was visited by 317,327 people a daily average of 1,090.
Unexpected conservation problems encountered during the renovation of the Han Tomb at the Lei Cheng Uk Branch Museum were remedied by the installation of a specially-designed air-conditioner and dehumidifier. It was not possible to re-open the museum during 1977 because of the priority given to preserving the tomb.
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has gone from strength to strength since it took on professional status under the auspices of the Urban Council in 1973. The 1977-8 season of the orchestra offered 88 concerts, including regular City Hall con- certs, special shows and performances in the New Territories a new development aimed at taking music to the people.
The orchestra receives a great deal of support from the young people of Hong Kong, with 75 to 80 per cent of each audience having an average age of 25.
The orchestra has almost 70 full-time players. The future looks very promising and members hope eventually to tour other countries and to see the establishment of a music conservatory in Hong Kong.
Almost half the budget for the 1977-8 season was provided by the Urban Council and further support came from personal, corporate and government subventions. With arts programmes in many countries coming under economic pressure, Hong Kong is proud of its ability to fully support its own professional orchestra.