XN000022-1990-11-08 — Page 8

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1990

SOME OF THE EXHIBITS IN THE

"TALKING LASERS

WHICH

THE ROYAL COUPLE ALSO VIEWED COMMUNICATION SECTION, INCLUDING A DEMONSTRATES HOW LIGHT TRANSMITS MESSAGES.

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DURING THE TOUR, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WAS ALSO INTRODUCED ΤΟ REPRESENTATIVES FROM SPONSORS OF THE MUSEUM PROJECT AND THOSE WHO HAVE ASSISTED IN THE PROJECT WERE PRESENTED TO THE ROYAL COUPLE.

THE HONG KONG SCIENCE MUSEUM OCCUPIES A SITE AREA OF 27,000 SQUARE METRES ON A PRIME SITE IN TSIM SHA TSUI EAST. THE FOUR-STOREY MUSEUM BUILDING HAS A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF 13,500 SQUARE METRES, OF WHICH 7,250 SQUARE METRES ARE EXHIBITION GALLERIES.

EXHIBITS IN THE MUSEUM, OF WHICH SOME 60 PER CENT WILL BE "HANDS-ON" EXHIBITS, COVER FIVE MAJOR AREAS, NAMELY ORIENTATION, SCIENCE, LIFE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND A KID ZONE SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THOSE AGED BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN.

EXHIBITS IN THE TECHNOLOGY AREA ARE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO SECTIONS COVERING COMPUTERS AND ROBOTICS, ENERGY, COMMUNICATION, CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD SCIENCE AND HOME TECHNOLOGY.

NEARLY HALF OF THE EXHIBITS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM THE BEST AROUND THE WORLD, THE OTHER HALF BEING ORIGINAL DESIGNS CREATED JOINTLY BY LOCAL AND OVERSEAS EXPERTS. EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON EXHIBITS DESIGNED WITH SPECIAL RELEVANCE TO HONG KONG AND CHINA.

ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE $340 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE MUSEUM IS FOR EXHIBIT FABRICATION AND INSTALLATIONS.

THE MUSEUM HAS ALSO RECEIVED STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT MANIFESTED IN SPONSORSHIP IN CASH AND IN KIND TOTALLING SOME $24 MILLION.

THE SPONSORS INCLUDE APPLE COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL LIMITED; CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED; CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY LIMITED; HONG KONG TELECOM FOUNDATION; IBM CHINA/HK CORPORATION; PHILIP CHINA HONG KONG GROUP; ROLLS-ROYCE; ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB; SHELL HONG KONG LIMITED; AND ZUNG FU COMPANY LIMITED.

THE MUSEUM WILL BE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN APRIL 1991, AFTER A COMMISSIONING PERIOD DURING WHICH SCHOOL GROUPS WILL BE INVITED TO TEST THE EXHIBITS FOR THE DESIGN AND PLANNING OF EDUCATIONAL AND SUPPORT PROGRAMMES WHICH WILL BE A REGULAR AND IMPORTANT PART OF THE MUSEUM'S ACTIVITIES.

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