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"International Museum Day 2007, Hong Kong", with a two-day carnival - Museum Panorama - and a variety of activities, was opened today (May 12) at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Officiating guests included the Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho Chi-ping, the Deputy Director General of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture, Ms Bai Jie, the Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, Mr Shu Xiaofeng, the Vice-Chief of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Mr Guo Wuquan, and the Vice-President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Mr Chan Chak-seng.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Ho said the Leisure and cultural Services Department had organised the meaningful and interesting Museum Panorama since 2001 to tie in with the International Museum Day.
"In the two-day Museum Panorama, participating museums and heritage institutions will join to provide a series of academic, educational and entertaining activities to give the public and visitors to Hong Kong a better understanding of museums' functions and services. They can also take this opportunity to learn more about the culture of Beijing, the Guangdong Province, Macao and Hong Kong as well," Dr Ho said.
The Museum Panorama, a highlight programme of "International Museum Day 2007, Hong Kong", will run from 10am to 6pm today and tomorrow (May 12 and 13) at the Piazza of the Cultural Centre to provide visitors with entertaining booth games and a series of educational activities, demonstrations and performances.
In addition, more than 100 illustrated catalogues and books published by Leisure and Cultural Services museums, along with 50 souvenirs, will be on sale at up to 30% discount at the Panorama. The selected publications, priced from $4 to $747, cover diversified topics in art, history, heritage, film, science and technology, as well as astronomy.
To encourage people to visit more exhibitions by various museums, and to enjoy their facilities, a gift will be given to those who purchase a department museum yearly pass in May. There are three types of yearly pass - individual, family and concessionary. 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 Heritage Museum, Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum during the validity period. They can also enjoy 10% discount on participation in museums' extension activities.
To coincide with the International Museum Day, educational and entertaining 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 organised at different museums in May.
"International Museum Day 2007, Hong Kong" is organised in support of the day first designated on May 18, 1978, by the International Council of Museums to stimulate public awareness of the role that museums play in society. 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, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, 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, Institute of Chinese Studies 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, Lions Nature Education Centre, Hong Kong Wetland Park, Museums in Macao, Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture, Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Programme details of the International Museum Day, Hong Kong is now available on LCSD's website at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/. For enquiries, please call 2732 3232.
Ends/Saturday, May 12, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:31
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