ENG-2019 — Page 381

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Hong Kong Museum of Art

After major expansion and renovation works, the Hong Kong Museum of Art reopened on 30 November in Tsim Sha Tsui with 40 per cent more exhibition space, which includes the Lab and the Attic, located on the top floor of the museum, and the Wing (Upper) and the Wing (Lower), located in the new annex block. A pair of new donation galleries, the Wu Guanzhong Art Gallery and the Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, were inaugurated to honour two internationally important donations the museum received in 2018.

Upon its reopening, the museum presented 11 exhibitions, comprising a series of collection exhibitions representing the cultural legacy in the museum holdings, namely 'Ordinary to Extraordinary: Stories of the Museum, 'From Dung Basket to Dining Cart: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Wu Guanzhong, 'A Pleasure Shared: Selected Works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection, 'The Wisdom of Emptiness: Selected Works from the Xubaizhai Collection, 'Lost and Found: Guardians of the Chater Collection' and 'The Best of Both Worlds: Acquisitions and Donations of Chinese Antiquities'; exhibitions and displays that showcased Hong Kong art lineage, namely 'Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint, 'Hong Kong Experience Hong Kong Experiment, 'The Breath of Landscape' and 'Rediscovering Landscape'; and an international blockbuster exhibition, 'A Sense of Place: from Turner to Hockney: The museum welcomed 65,000 visitors in the opening weeks in 2019.

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The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, features tea ware and related artefacts from the collection of the late Dr K S Lo, as well as rare Chinese ceramics and seals donated by the K S Lo Foundation. Regular tea demonstrations and Chinese music tea gatherings introduce the art of tea appreciation and Chinese traditional culture. The museum organised the 'Tea Ware by Hong Kong Potters 2018' exhibition in the year. The annual attendance of the museum is 148,000.

Hong Kong Museum of History

The Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui runs the permanent exhibition, 'The Hong Kong Story: Highlights of the year included 'Gilded Glory: Chaozhou Woodcarving, 'The Road to Modernisation - 70 Years of the People's Republic of China' and 'Glistening Treasures in the Dust - Ancient Artefacts of Afghanistan, organised in collaboration with Guangdong Museum, the National Museum of China and the National Museum of Afghanistan respectively. More than 932,300 people visited during the year.

Two programmes help community groups understand the city's history and cultural heritage. Inclusive Life: Museum for All - Interactivity Scheme offers people with disabilities guided tours and workshops, while Caring for the Community holds outreach activities for ethnic minorities, youngsters, the elderly, families and new immigrants.

The museum works with educational organisations to hold public seminars and lectures on the history and culture of Hong Kong. It organises a school competition and the Future Curator Training Course to enhance teachers and students' understanding of Hong Kong's history and culture.

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