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"International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong", with more than 200 entertaining and educational associated activities, opened today (May 13) at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Officiating guests included the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Anissa Wong Sean-yee, the Director General of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture, Mr Cao Chunliang, the Party Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Ms Zhou Suqin, the Acting President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Ms Wong Sai-hong, and the Chairman of Committee on Museums of Hong Kong, Dr Philip Wu Po-him.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ms Anissa Wong Sean-yee said that under the theme of "Museums and Young People", the event this year aimed to enhance young people's understanding of the missions and functions of museums and to encourage them to take part in museum activities through a variety of programmes and services.
"A number of youth volunteer groups, such as the Hong Kong University Student Union, Young Ambassador Scheme, School of Design, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong True Light College, Young Friends of Heritage from the Antiquities and Monuments Office, were invited to take part in the event.
"The programmes, performances and services provided by these young volunteers, perfectly tie in with the theme of this year's International Museum Day. We hope that they will keep on participating in museum activities and get benefits from joining us," Ms Wong said.
The Museum Panorama, a highlight programme of "International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong", will run from 10am to 6pm today and tomorrow (May 13 and 14) at the Piazza of the Cultural Centre to provide visitors with entertaining booth games and a series of educational activities, demonstrations and performances.
More than 40 illustrated catalogues and books, along with CD-roms and stationery items, such as box folders, bookmarks, postcards and calendars, produced by the museums managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be on sale at 25% discount at the Panorama while stocks last. The selected publications, priced from $7 to $477, cover diversified topics, such as art, history, heritage, film, science and technology and astronomy. Book lovers should not miss this opportunity.
To encourage people to pay frequent visits to museums to enjoy their facilities, a booth handling applications for LCSD Museum Passes will be set up at the Panorama. A gift will be presented to those who purchase an LCSD Museum Pass during the two-day event. The scheme has three categories: individual, family and concessionary, which are available for one year and half a year. Pass holders are entitled to unlimited admission to the Hong Kong Science Museum (excluding some special exhibitions), Hong Kong Space Museum (excluding the Space Theatre's programmes), Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and Hong Kong Heritage Museum during the validity period. They can also enjoy a 10% discount on participation in museum extension activities.
Apart from the Museum Panorama, educational and entertainment programmes including lectures on the work and functions of museums, workshops, guided tours, demonstrations, children's programmes, video programmes and behind-the-scenes tours will be held at different museums during "Museum Two-week" from May 15 to 28.
"International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong" is organised by LCSD in support of the International Museum Day first designated on May 18, 1978, by the International Council of Museums. Participating institutions include: Hong Kong Museum of History and its branches, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum and its branches, Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Film Archive, Central Conservation Section under LCSD, Antiquities and Monuments Office and its Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Art Promotion Office, Museum of Ethnology, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Tung Wah Museum, Po Leung Kuk Museum, The Hong Kong Racing Museum, University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong, Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum, Police Museum, Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture, Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government.
Programme booklets with details about "International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong" are available at all local participating institutions. Information is also available on the website at http://hk.art.museum/. For enquiries, please call 2721 0116.
Ends/Saturday, May 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:01
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