ENG-1991 — Page 386

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

The Conservation Section works closely with museum curators to ensure that exhibits on display are in good condition. Restoration is carefully documented in database which is used to recall vital information whenever curators wish to consider exhibiting items or lend them to other museums. During the year a total of 691 museum objects were treated.

Heritage

Growing awareness of the importance to the community of Hong Kong's cultural and historical heritage is reflected in the activities of the museums run by the Urban and Regional Councils, and the work of the Antiquities Advisory Board as well as the Antiquities and Monuments Office. The Secretary for Recreation and Culture is the Antiquities Authority and implements the provisions of the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, guided tours, publications and local studies, the museums seek to achieve their twin objectives of preserving Hong Kong's heritage and increasing public awareness of its importance.

Hong Kong Museum of History

There was an active programme of thematic exhibitions and education activities during the year, starting with an educational exhibition on The Ceramic Route Archaeological Discoveries From Penny's Bay. Illustrated with Ming Jingdezhen ware; ship models, old maps, paintings and an audio-visual programme, the exhibition illustrated the world sea-trading pattern in the 16th century and cultural exchanges between East and West. It attracted a total attendance of 85 370.

The next exhibition was entitled Towards a Sustainable World which was a joint venture between the Urban Council and the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong. Photographs, charts, maps, dioramas, related artefacts and videos were used to point out the environmental crises threatening the earth as well as the possible solutions. Meanwhile, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of postal service in Hong Kong, the Urban Council and the Post Office jointly presented the 150 Years of Postal Service exhibition. Total attendance at the Towards a Sustainable World exhibition was 225 200 while the Postal Service exhibition attracted 96 700 visitors.

In October 1991, a large-scale permanent exhibition entitled The Story of Hong Kong was opened. The largest of its kind ever held in Hong Kong, the exhibition gave a comprehensive account on the cultural, economic and political development of Hong Kong from the neolithic age to the signing of the Joint Declaration in 1984, focusing on the people and life in Hong Kong. By the end of 1991, the exhibition had been visited by 62 000 people. A related inter-school study project on the history of Hong Kong education was organised, encouraging secondary pupils to participate in investigations into local history and culture.

A variety of extension activities was organised to complement the museum's exhibitions, including special courses and lectures to explore the history and archaeology of Hong Kong and Macau. Special lectures and field trips were organised to places of interest, including Mai Po Nature Reserve, the Tai Tong Forest Nursery, and the International Mail Centre. A series of summer youth programmes was also arranged on the subject of stamp collecting, the study of trees and the bird collection in Kowloon Park.

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