RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002
https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278
385

INTRODUCING THE CONSERVATION SECTION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

PAUL HARRISON1

I am sure most members of HKBRAS regularly attend Hong Kong's museums and libraries. They might, however, not be familiar with all the work that goes on behind the scenes to make these institutions effective.

One group of specialists are the conservators. The author is employed as a conservator and is a life member of the HKBRAS. He is one of a team of thirty-five specialists who work at laboratories at the Museums of Art, Heritage and History, the Film Archive and the Central Library. These are further divided into ten specialist teams, to work on the many varied materials that these institutions collect. There is another similar team at the Public Records Office to conserve the Government's archives.

A question that the author is often asked is 'What did you study to be able to do this?' The answer is that he has a B.Sc. in Archaeological Conservation, and an M.Sc. in Ancient Metal Working Techniques from University College London, and, accordingly, works in the Metals team. The other teams are Archaeology, Ceramics/Stone, Central Library, Film Archive, Historical Documents, Organic Materials, Paper, Photographs and Textiles/Natural History.

The other, curatorial, members of the section are locally employed chemistry graduates who after serving an apprenticeship at a museum head overseas to study a conservation discipline. Previously they all went to UCL too. Now people have been to Canberra University, Australia; the Canadian Conservation Institute, Rochester, New York, USA for Film Conservation; De Montfort University, Lincoln, England, and Southampton University for textile conservation; and Camberwell, London to study paper conservation. But training is a life-long experience and experienced conservators are sent on short training courses, overseas, to expand the skills base of the section.

Another question that I sometimes get is 'Can you do carbon-14 dating?'
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RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2003
https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390
in 2005. The government has described this as the 'jewel in the crown,' to benefit the economy and tourism in Hong Kong.

• See K. Sinclair, Farewell Sai Kung, welcome fun zone. South China Morning Post, October 24, 1999; A. So, Sai Kung leisure garden' plan. South China Morning Post, December 3, 2000.

"More information can be found at: www.info.gov.hk/planning/studies/sent/sent_e/final_e.htm

* See D. Faure, Saikung, The Making of the District and its Experience during World War II. Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 22 (1983): 161-216; The Structure of Chinese Rural Society: Lineage and Village in the Eastern New Territories (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1986).

* See R. Gee, Sha Lo Tung. In P. H. Hase & E. Sinn eds., Beyond the Metropolis: Villages in Hong Kong. (Hong Kong: Joint Publishing Company, 1995), pp. 131-155.

See C. P. Gurung and M. De Coursey, The Annapurna Conservation Area Project: A Pioneering Example of Sustainable Tourism? In E. Cater & G. Lowman eds., Ecotourism: A Sustainable Option? (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1994), pp. 180.

Gurung and De Coursey (1994), pp. 184.
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