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The Public Records Office (PRO) of the Government Records Service (GRS) will showcase "Crossing the Harbour: An exhibition of archival holdings on the development of cross-harbour transport" on the second floor of the Exhibition Hall of the Hong Kong Public Records Building, 13 Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon. The exhibition will be on display to the public starting from Monday (December 17). Admission is free.
Crossing the harbour today for work or social gatherings seems to be part of our daily routine, to which we give little thought. There are many convenient ways for us to make the crossing, whether above or below the water. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries the only options were by boat or ferry. It was not until the 1970s that we could enjoy the convenience of the Cross Harbour Tunnel, and later of the other tunnels and the Mass Transit Railway (MTR).
This exhibition uses archival records, photographs, maps, plans and films kept in the PRO of the GRS to give you snapshots of the development of cross-harbour transport between 1860s and 1970s. Through the display of about 50 exhibits with the use of archival records, photographs, maps, plans and videos, it reviews the development of Kowloon Peninsula, the demand for cross harbour transportation and the development of cross-harbour transport from 1860s to 1970s. This exhibition displays some valuable holdings including a lease and map of Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island, a layout plan of the proposed design of the cross-harbour bridge, a plan of proposed routes of MTR, and more.
To complement the onsite exhibition, an online Reference Resource Page has been developed. It consists of three parts, namely Timeline, Image Gallery and Reference List. These are useful education resources for studying subjects such as liberal studies, history and civic education. Both teachers and students can easily access the Reference Resources Page through the GRS website (www.grs.gov.hk) starting from December 17.
Guided tours for group visits will be provided on a request basis. If you have any questions regarding reservations for the guided tour or about the exhibition, please contact Mr Bernard Hui, Senior Assistant Archivist of the PRO of the GRS (Tel : 2195 7728).
Ends/Friday, December 14, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:25
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