RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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village houses. Its adjoining 8 000 square-metre open space, incorporating a pond, a gateway, a sales kiosk with landscaped sitting out areas, reflects the rural character of the museum. To mark the opening of the museum, a special exhibition entitled 'Daily Life in the Qing Dynasty' was presented at the exhibition hall and an illustrated catalogue was published for sale. Period furniture, farming implements, and illustrated thematic displays are featured in the village houses. From the time it was opened, the museum attracted 28 800 visitors.
Zoological and Botanical Gardens
The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, managed by the Urban Council, are the oldest and possibly the most popular public gardens in Hong Kong. Situated on a 5.35 hectare site at the foot of Victoria Peak overlooking Government House, the gardens contain a wide variety of botanical and zoological features. The gardens were constructed between 1861 and 1871 and are divided by Albany Road. The Old Garden, located to the east of the road, houses an extensive bird collection while the New Garden, opened in 1871, is home for the mammals. The horticultural contribution, which is mainly located in the Old Garden, is enhanced by extensive planting inside the zoological enclosures.
The mammal collection includes Jaguars, Caracal Lynx, Red-cheeked Gibbons, Emperor Tamarins, Green Acouchis, Prevost's Tree Squirrels, Indian Porcupines, Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroos, Celebes Black Apes, Common Squirrel Monkeys, Orange-rumped Agoutis, Short-beaked Echidnas, Ring-tailed Lemurs, Siamangs, Bornean Orang-utans and Golden- headed Lion Tamarins. Among them, 13 species of mammals, including the Orang-utans and Lion Tamarins, have bred in the gardens.
The bird collection, which is among the best in Asia, concentrates on rare or endangered species. Altogether, more than 950 specimens representing about 280 species are housed. With the sale or transfer of zoological stock between countries growing increasingly difficult, greater emphasis has been placed on the breeding of stock within the gardens. An excellent record in this respect has been achieved in recent years, including success with the White-naped Crane, the Count Raggi's Bird of Paradise, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon and the White-Winged Wood-duck.
The horticultural collection includes trees, palms, and shrubs representing more than 550 species. Colourful displays of seasonal flowers can be found at the Fountain Terrace garden which was reconstructed in 1985. This formal garden has a large fountain as the central feature and the landscaped surrounds include more than 230 species of medicinal plants.
Public Libraries
Library services to the community are provided under the aegis of the Urban Council in the urban area and the Regional Council in the New Territories.
With the opening of three new small libraries and the reprovisioning of two interim district libraries in the newly-completed complexes in Lockhart Road and Ngau Chi Wan, the Urban Council now operates 26 static libraries in the urban area. In addition to the lending services for children and adults, these libraries provide a wide variety of extension activities, reference, audio-visual, newspapers and periodicals services, students' study room facilities, reading machines for the blind as well as block loan services to organisations and penal institutions. In addition, two mobile libraries regularly visit various urban districts to serve the people.
New services introduced during the year include a pilot computer literacy project to promote computer literacy among the general public and the provision of free cloakroom services for the aged and the handicapped.
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