Hong Kong Maritime Museum’s Across Victoria Harbour exhibition a window into city’s nautical past, featuring old photos, models and ‘very special’ views
- Hong Kong Maritime Museum’s Across Victoria Harbour offers lessons on the harbour’s role in shaping the city, and what life was like for those working on it
- Old photos, such as those of dock workers, paintings and interviews tell its story, while the museum’s windows offer sweeping views of the harbour itself
Victoria Harbour is one of Hong Kong’s most valuable assets. Stretching between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, it occupies a special place in the hearts of residents and visitors alike. Few tourists leave without a colour-soaked photo of it.
Considered the city’s beating heart, people gather there to watch fireworks shows, while its promenade bustles with performers. Thousands cross over it daily on the Star Ferry or under it by car or train.
Many people, though, may not be aware of the vital role the harbour has played in the city’s growth as a trade powerhouse. “Across Victoria Harbour”, an exhibition at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum in Central on until May 15, could change that.
Tracing Hong Kong’s development from 1842 until the present day, “Across Victoria Harbour” focuses on the rich history of cross-harbour vessels.
It sails through the role of passenger vessels (sampans, ferries, motorboats), tugboats and barges, their cultural significance told through historical photographs and documents as well as interactive displays.
