Hong Kong – Muse Fest HK 2024 celebrates 10th anniversary with over 70 exciting programs (with photos)

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the Muse Fest HK 2024 in November, rolling out over 70 fabulous programmes in LCSD museums and art spaces. With the same theme “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums”, the 10th edition of the Museum Festival enables members of the public to immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage and artistic diversity, offering an alternative museum experience. Most activities are free, and members of the public are welcome to join on the spot.
      
     The inaugural event of the Muse Fest 2024, “Fun@Museum Carnival”, is being held today and tomorrow (November 2 and 3) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza, Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui. The carnival features a variety of programmes. There are performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items such as “Vital Lion Dance” opening performance and “Puppetry Encounters” performance today. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Muse Fest HK 2024 and eye-dotting for lion dances this morning. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Liu said this year marks the 10th Edition of Muse Fest. The opening carnival this year focuses in “Chinese Cutlure”, promoting the development and inheritance of Chinese culture and history through diversified performances and interactive workshops. With the theme of “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums” this year, Muse Fest will continue to broaden citizens’ scope of knowledge in these areas.
      
     The booths of flower button, lion dance and lion head crafts by the ICH Office are well received, with visitors busy taking photos with the lion head. Some also made lion head crafts to experience this ICH item which combines martial arts and performing arts. In the afternoon, the carnival invited a seasoned puppet group to perform classic plays such as “Daming Prefecture”, “Zhong Kui Getting Drunk” and “Sun Wukong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon”, winning great applause from audiences.
      
     In addition to the popular ICH-related programmes, the booths of the Conservation Office have also attracted many passers-by. They have been engaged in learning the use of wax materials in artefacts protection, or making their own light clay cake model magnets with a wooden cake mould. The Gear Up – Nano World Outreach Programme booth, presented by the Science Promotion Unit of the Hong Kong Science Museum, has been surrounded by children viewing the comic-style panels and interactive exhibits introducing nano science. Apart from the booth activities, the carnival has invited Community Cultural Ambassadors 2024 the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble and Chinese and Western music ensembles of the Music Office to deliver live performances at the HKCC Piazza to boost the atmosphere. The Hong Kong Public Libraries promotes theme-based reading through the Library-on-Wheels outreach truck and storytelling sessions by Story Ambassadors, while the Interactive Storytelling Device – Joyful Reading of Three Kingdoms – allows participants to acquire knowledge through playing games. Meanwhile, the HKSpM has organised a treasure hunt named Cosmic Voyage, inviting visitors to follow the hints on the treasure map and find out the answers at the Exhibition Hall to learn about the universe and space science in various aspects.
      
     The carnival will continue tomorrow with more extraordinary events. The Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Association and Pokfulam Kaifong Welfare Association will bring the fire dragon dance performance to Tsim Sha Tsui tomorrow from 4pm to 6pm. Locals residents and tourists can join the parade and learn about the traditions and historical significance of the fire dragon dance. Visitors can touch and take a closer look at the unicorn head and create postcards at the unicorn booth. In addition to the above mentioned lion head crafts booth, a waxing in conservation activity, “Gear Up – Nano World” outreach programme -Nanoboy Ornament Workshop, Library-on-Wheels with Storytelling Sessions and the Interactive Storytelling Device. Those interested in movies should not miss the animated film screening of “Chang An” to be held at the Lecture Hall of the HKMoA, which is organised by the Film Programmes Office.
      
     Various museums will host fun days during weekends in November. The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum Fun Day will be held on November 9, featuring a photo-taking corner, video screenings and workshops to enhance visitors’ understanding of Hakka culture and customs. The “Spark Joy @Oi!” Fun Day 2024 at Oil Street Art Space on November 10 will feature handpan music performances, workshops and guided tours by artists. The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence (MWRCD) and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum will offer a variety of activities on November 16 for the public. The Hong Kong Railway Museum Fun Day and the ICH Office’s ICH Fun Day at the Sam Tung Uk Museum will be staged on November 17 and November 23 respectively. Demonstrations and education activities will be held at the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery Fun Day on November 30 to enhance the public’s knowledge of the Fireboat Alexander Grantham and the history of Hong Kong’s sea rescue. Moreover, the Conservation Office will arrange the Guardians of Museum Artefacts at the Shenzhen Museum: The Behind the Scenes of Conservators talk on November 16 at the HKMoA where the specialist from the Shenzhen Museum will introduce preventive conservation work.
      
         In addition to the day-time events, museums also offer exciting night-time activities. The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, will host An Evening with Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware for two nights. On November 23, where visitors can enjoy the outdoor immersive light show titled “Gentle Smoke of Tea” at the museum’s façade and “The Sound of Art” concert at the lawn. On November 24, in addition to the light show, visitors can explore the indoor “Gardens of Four Seasons” interactive display and visit the museum exhibitions.
      
     This year’s Muse Fest will continue to launch a mega publication and souvenir sale, offering up to 50 per cent discounts for selected museum publications and souvenirs.
      
     LCSD Museum Pass holders may also enjoy exclusive admission to experience a variety of special programmes during the festival period. For the event “Meet the Curator – Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence”, assistant curators of the MWRCD will introduce the curation and stories behind the exhibitions, and how the curatorial team delivers the history of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence to audiences. They will also take you on a special tour to permanent and thematic exhibitions of the museum. For another exclusive programme, “The Fireboat Then and Now Guided Tour – A Fireman Leads the Way”, a retired firemen who served on the fireboat will share the bits and pieces of the adventurous experience in the historic vessel as docent.
      
     Apart from the museums under the management of the LCSD, a total of 27 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao collaborative partners (including those in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance) participate in this year’s Museum Festival, bringing much excitement to the activities. The Shenzhen Museum will launch Hong Kong Museum Festival 2024 Shenzhen Branch – “The Beauty of Ingenuity” series of research activities to enable members of the public, especially young people to explore the profound depth of Chinese traditional culture through carefully-designed courses, including wood carving and gilding, a woodworking activity with mortise and tenon joinery, seal engraving and printmaking.
      
     For more details of the Muse Fest 2024, please visit the website at:
     https://www.museums.gov.hk/mf2024.