ENG-2000 — Page 464

RECREATION, SPORT AND THE ARTS

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Hong Kong Science Museum

The Sinosauropteryx - Dinosaurs with Feathers Exhibition, which featured eight genuine specimens of feathered dinosaurs, was staged in the Hong Kong Science Museum, alongside the Chinese Dinosaur Fossils Exhibition in May. Sinosauropteryx, the first feathered dinosaur ever found, demonstrated the earliest trace of feathers, even preceding the Archaeopteryx. This exhibition attracted 89 000 visitors.

The Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Exhibition was opened in August, in recognition of China's significant aerospace achievements. The highlight of the exhibition was China's first spacecraft, the Shenzhou, which had made its maiden flight in 1999. The 11-metre tall spacecraft was erected in the exhibition hall, and the national and HKSAR flags that it had carried into space were also on display. The Shenzhou has been designed for manned space flight. Among the other exhibits on display were the seven-storey fairing and escape tower of the Long March 2F rocket, which was mounted at the piazza, and China's 17th recoverable satellite. A series of special activities was organised to complement the exhibition, which attracted more than 98 000 visitors.

Engineering technology plays an important role in urban development and has significantly improved the quality of life. In August, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the museum jointly organised an Engineering Month to highlight the contributions of engineers and to present an introduction to the engineering profession. In October, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects organised an Architecture For Learning exhibition in association with the museum. The exhibition displayed school designs by professionals and student architectural designs from camps, workshops and competitions.

The Science Alive programme celebrated its 10th anniversary, with 2 000 teachers and students taking part. Jointly organised with the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine of the University of London, the British Council and the Education Department, the programme featured distinguished scholars from overseas presenting lectures on popular science topics through lively demonstrations.

In 2000, the museum's exhibitions and extension activities attracted more than 778 050 visitors and participants.

Hong Kong Space Museum

To celebrate its 20th anniversary in October, the Hong Kong Space Museum organised a series of special lectures on astronomy conducted by the museum advisers, an exhibition, Astronomy in Hong Kong 2000, and a competition, Astrophotographic Competition 2000.

During the year, the Space Museum launched two Sky Shows, Enigma of the Sun and UFO Files. Three Omnimax films, Fantasia 2000, Galapagos and Amazing Journeys, and four School Shows - Sun, Moon and Stars, The New Solar System, Cosmic Voyage and The Greatest Places were also staged. They attracted more

than 400 000 people.

In August, the Space Museum produced a board game Space Race and jointly organised a programme of Astronomical Training for Secondary Students with the Physics Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In collaboration with the Physics Department of the University of Hong Kong, the museum participated in the fabrication of a self-learning programme compact disc, Nature of the Universe.