Heritage Museum may be rebuilt into science showcase

Stacy Shi

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin will be rebuilt into a new Hong Kong Science Museum to accommodate more exhibits, Legislative Council member Vincent Cheng Wing-shun said.

His comments follows a Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau proposal Wednesday to turn the Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui into a facility that showcases China's development and achievements, while the science museum is relocated to the Heritage Museum.

Cheng, who's with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the present science museum is relatively small with aging facilities, and relocating it to Sha Tin can increase its area and provide more parking for tourist buses.

"I think [the Heritage Museum] would be rebuilt, as it now lacks scientific elements. Nowadays, many science museums are using technological methods to display scientific products, which are more attractive," he said. "And [the government] also hopes to expand the science museum."

As it is close to Hong Kong Science Park in Sha Tin, the new science museum will be able to display some new technologies developed by the park, Cheng added.

He urged authorities to provide detailed arrangements for present Heritage Museum collections.

The museum now holds themed exhibitions including A Man Beyond Ordinary: Bruce Lee, Jin Yong Gallery, the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall, and some Chinese painting and calligraphy.

Cheng hoped the authorities would announce the location of the planned pop culture center and whether it would incorporate some collections in the Heritage Museum.

Regarding future Heritage Museum development, Cheng believes the government needs to review its market position.

Some people opposed the redevelopment, suggesting the science museum be relocated to science park instead.

A resident, Ng, said many of the SAR's museums were already underutilized, the achievements of the country should be hosted by all museums, and it would be unwise to spend so much to rebuild a museum.

In addition, Hong Kong's late diva Anita Mui Yim-fong's fan club founder was worried there would be nowhere to host Mui's collections after the museum's closure until the completion of the new center.

She said the Heritage Museum would hold another Mui exhibition at the end of the month, which includes relics donated by Mui's friends, describing them as a record of the singer's life and the city's entertainment development.

She said there might be a gap in the preservation of Hong Kong's culture of some 10 to 20 years if the museum were to be rebuilt.