Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Jointly presented by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the “Bank of China (Hong Kong) Presents: National Development and Achievements Series – Endless Exploration: The Journey of Chinese Aerospace, Aviation and Navigation” exhibition will be launched at the Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) from tomorrow (August 1) to September 7. This is the first time for Hong Kong to showcase the country’s achievements in these three major arenas in the same exhibition. Featuring a rich array of artefacts, models, graphics, videos and interactive exhibits, the exhibition not only presents important developments in relevant fields, but also aims to inspire the public, especially youngsters, with a passion for technological innovation while enhancing national confidence in science and technology.
Addressing the opening ceremony today (July 31), the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that the Chang’e-6’s successful return to earth bringing lunar soil samples from the far side of the Moon last year represents a global first, underscoring China’s leading position in lunar exploration. Hong Kong is proactively integrating into national development matters and making significant contributions, with local scientists having the opportunity to participate in major national scientific research projects. These achievements affirm Hong Kong’s unique advantages in contributing to national development with an international vision. He further said that this exhibition showcases the remarkable achievements of the Chang’e lunar exploration programme as well as the country’s remarkable accomplishments in aerospace, aviation and navigation. It also highlights Hong Kong’s role as a cultural hub connecting China with the world, telling the good story of China and promoting patriotism to the public.
Other officiating guests today included the Chief Engineer of the CNSA, Dr Li Guoping; the First-level Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Liu Maozhou; the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, Mr Sun Yu; the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Legislative Council Member, Dr Starry Lee; the Chairperson of the Science Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Alexander Wai; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; and the Museum Director of the HKScM, Mr Patrick Lau.
This exhibition achieves several “firsts”, including the first concurrent display in Hong Kong of lunar soil samples collected from the far side and near side of the Moon by the Chang’e-6 and the Chang’e-5 respectively. Other exhibits debuting in Hong Kong include the Chang’e-6 returner and parachute, seawater samples collected from 10,000 metres under the sea, as well as models of the “three pearls” of the shipbuilding industry, namely an aircraft carrier, a luxury cruise ship and a liquefied natural gas carrier.
Moreover, the HKScM will display large-scale aerospace, aviation and maritime models concurrently, including an approximately 12m-tall 1:5 Long March-5 launch vehicle and a full-size Fendouzhe full-ocean-depth manned submersible with a length of approximately 10m displayed outdoors, as well as a 1:8 model of a Y-20 heavy lifter with a wingspan of approximately 6m displayed indoors for the first time.
Apart from the exhibits from the Mainland, the exhibition also presents Hong Kong’s significant contributions to the space and deep-sea exploration projects of the country. There are also interactive exhibits, namely the “Lunar Base”, the “Zhurong Rover Expedition” and more, for visitors to experience the challenges of building a lunar base and exploring Mars.
Fixed-point guided tours will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays from August 9 to September 7. A series of lectures will be conducted on August 1 and August 4 by experts invited from the Mainland, who will share their knowledge of aviation, aerospace and navigation, as well as the achievements and future plans of the country in related fields. Members of the public are welcome to participate in the tours and lectures on-site. Other activities include experiment classes, workshops and demonstrations for the public to explore the scientific principles behind aviation and deep-sea navigation.
The exhibition is jointly organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the News Center of the CNSA, as solely sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. It is one of the activities of the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit the HKScM website at hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/exploration2025.html.