Exhibition Revamp Sparks Censorship Fears

How history is written – or possibly rewritten – topped the concerns of visitors to "The Hong Kong Story" exhibition at the Museum of History as it opened for the final time before a major revamp.

Hundreds of people were seen queuing on Sunday afternoon for the exhibition which according to the Tsim Sha Tsui museum tells the story of the city "from the Devonian period 400 million years ago and concludes with the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997". It will be closed from Monday.

Officials from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said it's now time for an "extensive revamp", which is expected to take two years.

The content will be amended.

Since its opening in 2001, "The Hong Kong Story" has drawn more than 10 million visits.

While many museum-goers came for a final look at the 19-year-old exhibition, some of them said they were worried about censorship and the removal of sensitive material after the facelift.

A mother surnamed Choy, who brought her daughter to the museum, said she wants her kid to learn about the city's colonial history in particular.

"I want her to remember the history of Hong Kong, especially the part related to England. I think the content will be changed (and) mainly focused on China, maybe will cut the part of England," she told RTHK's Wong Yin-ting.

Another visitor to the museum, a university student surnamed Wong, said he fears some of the exhibition content would be removed or rewritten.

He also hopes that an installation showing the time when the British ruled Hong Kong could be retained. The youngster sees that as a significant period for Hong Kong as it was transformed from a small seaport into a metropolis.

"I hope the history museum will not be a museum that recorded altered history," he added.

A secondary school student named Henry, who came with his family members, said he is looking forward to the exhibition after the revamp.

He said he's expecting to see more information about the relationship between Hong Kong and the mainland after the handover.

“It is quite interesting that China takes back the control of Hong Kong. It is quite interesting for me, now it’s within the protection of China," the secondary student said.

The museum will remain open while "The Hong Kong Story" is being revamped.