**********************************************************
A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that about 200,000, that is around 33 per cent, of the about 600,000 admission tickets for the "Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival" had been sold after commencement of ticket sales at 41 URBTIX outlets today (October 19).
The spokesman said ticket sales through the Internet and telephone booking will commence tomorrow (October 20). Each person can purchase up to 40 tickets.
The "River of Wisdom - Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival" will bring to Hong Kong the spectacular exhibition shown at the China Pavilion of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China. The exhibition will be co-organised by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and the LCSD. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust will be the exclusive sponsor of the exhibition.
To be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong International Airport, from November 9 to 29, the exhibition will open from 10am to 9pm daily. The opening hours will be divided into 11 viewing sessions per day and each session will last for one hour. Admission fee is set at $10. Children under four years old will be admitted free. For enquiries on ticketing, please call the URBTIX hotline at 2734 9009.
To cater for students and social welfare organisations, the LCSD has arranged 200,000 free tickets for group visits to be organised by schools and social welfare organisations. Group visits are confined to weekdays between Monday and Friday. Schools and welfare organisations may send their applications to the Hong Kong Science Museum. The Hong Kong Council of Social Service will assist in co-ordinating the applications of their member organisations.
As at today (October 19), 776 applications requesting more than 123,000 free tickets had been received from schools and groups since application for free admission started on October 12.
Together with these over 123,000 tickets booked by the schools and social welfare organisations, a total of 323,000 tickets for the 3-week exhibition have already been taken up.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has generously supported the exhibition by offering full sponsorship for the special "River of Wisdom Exhibition - Jockey Club Transport Subsidy Scheme". Under this scheme, group visits organised by schools and social welfare organisations that have secured free group tickets can enjoy a subsidy in hiring coach services.
Application forms for free admission and the "River of Wisdom Exhibition - Jockey Club Transport Subsidy Scheme" can now be downloaded from the website at hk.qingmingriverside.hk. Applications will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis. For enquiries on group visits organised by schools and social welfare organisations, please call the Hong Kong Science Museum at 2732 3294.
For more details about the exhibition, ticketing and transportation arrangements, please visit the website at hk.qingmingriverside.hk. For enquiries, please call 1823.
Ends/Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 22:40
NNNN