Free admission to LCSD's museums during International Museum Day
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     To celebrate "International Museum Day 2009, Hong Kong (IMD 2009 HK)", all museums of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and other participating local museums will offer free admission on May 16 and 17.

     The 31 local museums admitting visitors free of charge during the two days are the Hong Kong Museum of History and its branches, Hong Kong Museum of Art and its branch, Hong Kong Heritage Museum and its branches, Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Film Archive, Antiquities and Monuments Office and its Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre and Ping Shan Tang Clan Gallery cum Heritage Trail Visitors Centre, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum, Police Museum, Museum of Ethnology, Tung Wah Museum, Po Leung Kuk Museum, University Museum and Art Gallery of The University of Hong Kong, Stephen Hui Geological Museum of The University of Hong Kong, Art Museum of Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr & Mrs Hung Hin Shiu Museum of Chinese Medicine of Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Museum of Education, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, The Hong Kong Racing Museum, Lions Nature Education Centre of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, and Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture.

     The ninth IMD Hong Kong was organised by the LCSD in support of the International Council of Museumsˇ¦ designation of IMD, which was first launched on May 18, 1978. IMD aims to enhance public understanding of the missions and functions of museums through a series of educational activities.

     Under the theme of "Museums On the Go", a fleet of parade buses carrying performance teams will be present at the opening ceremony and gala of IMD 2009 HK at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza on May 16 from 2pm to 6pm. Museum mascots, clowns and international cultural ambassadors of the performance teams will participate in shows for the public. On May 17 from 10am to 6pm, the parade buses will visit major tourist attractions and shopping areas on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories to show the rich offerings of the museums.

     The parade buses will stop at Golden Bauhinia Square, Hong Kong Park, The Peak Galleria and Times Square on Hong Kong Island; Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, Sai Yeung Choi Street South in Mong Kok, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong Science Museum in Kowloon; and Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza, Tsuen Wan Town Hall Plaza, Tin Shui Wai Ginza Square, Mau Yip Road in Tseung Kwan O (MTR Po Lam Station) in the New Territories.

     More than 100 educational programmes and activities will be conducted by various museums during the two days.

     Programme details of the IMD Hong Kong are now available on LCSD's (www.lcsd.gov.hk/imd2009). For enquiries, please call 2180 8188.

Ends/Saturday, May 9, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:01

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