ENG-1989 — Page 365

RECREATION AND THE ARTS

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Conservation Service

Conservation is an indispensable function of museum work, as it is through conservation that works of art and historical collections are scientifically conserved, restored and protected from damage and deterioration. During the year more than 900 museum objects were given conservation and restoration treatment. In addition, more than 600 organic objects were fumigated to arrest any possible insect infestation or mould growth and conservation service was also extended to cover the new open-air sculptures in the Kowloon Park and others in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum at the nature trail of Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, is in its sixth year of operation. The museum, which is also a declared monument, shows a 19th-century Hakka walled village of domestic units, a gate tower, kitchens and pig pens with a display of period furnishings and farming implements. It attracted 82 000 visitors in 1989.

Hong Kong Railway Museum

Housed at the old Tai Po Market Railway Station and opened in December 1985, the Hong Kong Railway Museum is dedicated to the history, development and services of the Kowloon-Canton Railway. It displays the old Tai Po Market Railway Station built in 1913 which is now a declared monument. The station's booking office, waiting hall and signal cabin have been restored for public viewing. Other exhibits include a full-size mock-up of an electrified train carriage, six old historic rail coaches, two inspection trolleys and other rail artefacts. The museum attracted over 320 000 visitors.

Sam Tung Uk Museum

The Sam Tung Uk Museum, converted from an 18th-century Hakka walled village of a Chan clan, was opened to the public in November 1987. The 2 000 square metre museum in Tsuen Wan is also a declared monument, which includes the restored ancestral hall, 12 village houses, a reception hall, an orientation hall, an exhibition hall, a lecture room, and museum offices all converted from village houses. Its adjoining 8 000 square metre open space, incorporating a pond, a gateway and a refreshments kiosk with landscaped sitting-out areas, reflects the rural character of the monument. Period furniture, farming implements, and illustrated thematic displays are featured in the village houses.

Three popular exhibitions on Cantonese Opera costumes, Puppet Theatre in Hong Kong and Guangdong Traditional Carvings were staged in the exhibition hall. The museum attracted over 545 000 visitors.

Horticulture and Landscape Services

The Urban Council now manages some 681 gardens, open spaces and children's play areas, three aviaries and a zoo. These provide considerable scope for 'greening' the city in addition to landscaping the urban highways. During the past year the council planted 13 291 trees, 8993 bamboos, 317 523 shrubs, 3 398 climbing plants, 268 699 ground cover plants and 279 953 seasonal flowers - an overall 18 per cent increase over the previous year.

The council's contribution to the urban landscape is comprehensive. It undertakes a full range of services from design through plant production, planting, maintenance and conservation on land within its statutory control. In so doing it also plays an important and growing role in the education of the public on these matters.