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The following is issued on behalf of the Provisional Urban Council:

You better watch out. Fourteen Chinese prehistoric giants are coming to town!

A large-scale exhibition entitled "Chinese Dinosaur Fossils" featuring magnificent dinosaur skeletons will be staged at the Special Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Science Museum from tomorrow (Tuesday) to June 11, 2000.

Speaking at the opening ceremony this afternoon, the Chairman of the Provisional Urban Council's Museums Select Committee, Mr Mok Ying-fan, said that the Council had always concentrated its effort in popularising science and its related activities.

"We presented the 'Dinosaur Alive' and 'Prehistoric Giants' exhibitions in 1993 and 1996 respectively. These two exhibitions on robotic dinosaurs had been very well received. This year, 14 genuine dinosaur fossils from China will be displayed," Mr Mok said.

Mr Mok said these exhibits were selected from the fine collections of Beijing Natural History Museum, Chongqing Natural History Museum and Zigong Dinosaur Museum. They included the Mamenchisaurus, the one with the longest neck in the dinosaurs' family; the Huayangosaurus, known as the very primitive stegosaurus; and the Tuojiangosaurus, the dinosaur which had the largest number of bony plates.

"A precious collection of fossil specimens uncovered in China will also be featured, ranging from the ancient animal and plant fossils, fossils of dinosaur bones, skull, teeth, eggs to the footprints of dinosaurs," he noted.

"In terms of scale, this is the largest exhibition of dinosaur fossils ever held in China. Even if we make a trip to the Mainland museums, we would not be able to see so many fossil specimens at one time," he added.

Also officiating at the opening ceremony were the President of Guangdong Southern Natural Museum, Mr Zhang Jingyuan; the Secretary of Zi Gong Municipal Committee, Mr Wang Dongzhou; the Assistant Director, Head of Publicity And Cultural And Sports Department of the Xinhua News Agency (Hong Kong Branch), Mr Sun Nan Sheng; the Deputy Secretary-General of Chinese Association of National Science Museums, Professor Zhen Shuonan, and the Deputy Director of Urban Services (Culture), Ms Choi Suk-kuen.

Surrounded by the prehistoric forest settings, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the dinosaurs' lives in their habitat. They can also play the role as a fossil detective to identify the differences between carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs in the "Fossil Detective" game. In addition, they can challenge themselves on the knowledge of dinosaurs in the "Dinosaur Quiz" computer game.

To supplement the exhibition, various extension activities such as popular science lectures, fun science experiments, Chinese dinosaurs paper cutting demonstration and film shows will be held in the Museum during the exhibition period.

This large-scale exhibition is presented by the Provisional Urban Council in association with the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums and the Guangdong Southern Natural Museum. It is one of the major events of the two Municipal Councils to celebrate the new millennium and also a Spotlight Hong Kong Event supported by the Hong Kong Tourist Association.

The Hong Kong Science Museum is located at 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East. Admission fee for the exhibition is $30 (for both permanent exhibitions and "Chinese Dinosaur Fossils" exhibition), and $10 (for "Chinese Dinosaur Fossils" exhibition only), with half-price concessions for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students. Admission for permanent exhibitions is free on Wednesdays but this does not apply to "Chinese Dinosaur Fossils" exhibition.

The Museum will open from 1 pm to 9 pm daily except on Mondays and the first two days of Lunar New Year when the Museum is closed, and from 10 am to 9 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The Museum will be closed at 5 pm on Christmas Eve (December 24) and Lunar New Year's Eve (February 4). The website of the Science Museum is at www.usd.gov.hk/hkscm/. For enquiries, please call 2732 3232.

End/Monday, December 13, 1999

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