ENG-1997 — Page 437

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

Yuen Long. Two new theatres in Kwai Tsing and Yuen Long are under construction and are expected to be completed in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 respectively.

Provisional Urban Council Museums

Hong Kong Museum of Art

The Hong Kong Museum of Art received 233 900 visitors and 369 school parties in 1997. The permanent galleries of contemporary Hong Kong art, Chinese antiquities, historical pictures, Chinese fine art and the Xubaizhai collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy continued to feature selected works from the museum's collection on a rotational basis.

Major events in the year included National Treasures Gems of China's Cultural Relics, a joint presentation with China's State Bureau of Cultural Relics; Masterpieces of Western Oil Painting from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, a joint presentation with the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, Japan; From Beijing to Versailles: Artistic Relations between China and France, and Dynamic - Light Installation by Yann Kersalé, two joint presentations with the Consulate General of France, Hong Kong; Profound Images A Retrospective of Chu Teh-chun, jointly organised with the Association Francaise d'Action Artistique, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France; Urban Council Fine Arts Award Winners; Reunion and Vision Contemporary Hong Kong Art 1997, jointly organised with the Hong Kong Artists Association; six Hong Kong Artists Series exhibitions by Lai Yat-fong, Wong Lai-ching, Wong Shun-kit, Wu Man-wai, Li Wan-fai and Li Wei-han; The Teaching of Chinese Painting in Primary & Secondary School, an exhibition for the Outreach Programme; Contemporary Hong Kong Art 1997, a travelling exhibition to Beijing and Guangzhou; and Views of the Pearl River Delta — Macau, Canton and Hong Kong, an overseas exhibition jointly presented with the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA. Special acoustic guide services for most of these exhibitions were available to visitors.

Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware presented Selected Works of Yixing Purple Clay Wares from the K.S. Lo Collection; Passion for Tea and Tea Vessels; Chinese Ceramics and Seals Donated by the K.S. Lo Foundation; Chinese Tea Drinking; Hong Kong Tea Competition and Hong Kong Wuwo Tea Ceremony.

Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre continued to support local artists by providing studio equipment and facilities for ceramics, sculpture and print-making. The exhibition gallery, art studios, lecture theatre and seminar rooms are for hire to the public at subsidised rates. On September 28, 1997, improvement works were completed and the seminar rooms were converted into multi-activities rooms.

Hong Kong Science Museum

The Hong Kong Science Museum has long been the place for visitors of all ages to learn science in an entertaining way. During the year, 665 000 visitors were attracted and the museum organised more than 385 programmes which covered science lectures, film shows, fun science experiment, computer classes, workshops for

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