Hongkongers overreacting to proposed Science Museum relocation, culture chief says

Hongkongers are overreacting to the government’s museum relocation proposal that could see the Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui replaced by a new institution celebrating national achievements, the city’s cultural secretary has said.

Speaking exclusively with the Post on Friday, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung stressed the proposal was only prepared for a meeting with lawmakers next Monday.

He said the relocation of the Science Museum to Sha Tin was just an option.

“I think the public got a little too sensitive about it,” culture minister Kevin Yeung has said about the museum relocation proposal. Photo: Edmond So

“Legislative Council members wanted to inquire about our plans for new museums, so we obliged,” he said, while clarifying that authorities were still searching for “suitable locations” for new and existing ones.

“Right now, it’s not like we have a plan all laid out and we are asking lawmakers to approve it. They wanted to talk, so we are showing them the information we have on hand. I think the public got a little too sensitive about it.”

He also emphasised authorities were “not in a rush” to create a new institution exhibiting national achievements.

A Legco paper released earlier this week titled “Setting up Two Museums about Our Country and the War of Resistance” proposed to move the Science Museum to the Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, while the latter would be rearranged and amalgamated into other museums.

“This will allow an increase in available floor area and space for developing more facilities,” the paper said.

Authorities in 2022 sought to expand the Museum of History and the Science Museum, which was the most visited museum that year, attracted more than 1.1 million people.

The expanded compound – with a combined floor area of about 33,260 sq metres – had an expected completion date of 2030, but Yeung told the Post that further studies showed the Science Museum could “in fact, be even bigger”, but would need to be moved to a new location.

“We feel expanding the current museum site would make it less unified, and it is difficult to efficiently use up all the space,” he said.

“We also considered building a brand new museum from scratch in the Northern District, but we understand the Science Museum is very popular with parents and students, and that site would be inconvenient.

“If we are closing the Heritage Museum anyway, perhaps we can make use of that space and its proximity with the nearby Che Kung Temple MTR station.”

He explained there were “many factors” to deciding the location of a museum, and that the Science Museum’s potential move to Sha Tin would likely not put off visitors.

The minister also promised authorities would not be getting rid of any items displayed at the Heritage Museum if the proposal went ahead. Instead, the exhibits would be moved to places that would allow for them to be better showcased.

Among popular exhibitions at the Heritage Museum was one devoted to late kung fu star Bruce Lee, that ran from July to early December. A coming show featuring late Cantopop diva Anita Mui Yim-fong is scheduled to run from December 24 to September 2 next year.

A wall display from “Bruce Lee: a Timeless Classic” pop-up exhibition at the Heritage Museum in Sha Tin. The exhibition was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the screen legend’s death. Photo: May Tse

Yeung urged the public to view the proposal more positively and not see it as the local culture being overshadowed by the national narrative.

Authorities had plans to build several more museums highlighting Hong Kong society, including ones with a focus on intangible cultural heritage and pop culture.

“We will review the exhibit genres and collections, and may spin off more museums,” he said.

The minister added that authorities had not ruled out building a new heritage museum.

In his October policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the government would set up a museum highlighting the country’s achievements, while the existing Museum of Coastal Defence in 2024 would be converted into a Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, introducing events throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The government would also increase the number of museums from the current 15 to 20 by 2032, with the average attendance expected to rise from 5 million to 9 million, he said.