Hong Kong has been one of the world’s most important ports for eons. This museum, an especially great destination for families with children, has more than a dozen galleries with exhibits highlighting the importance of the port of Hong Kong to China’s role in world trade throughout history. There are exhibits on sea bandits and on the development of Victoria Harbour. Explore collections of navigation equipment, ship models, nautical paintings, and photographs of traditional Chinese junks. There’s a cool gallery showcasing the sounds of the sea—whistles, bells, horns, the crash of waves, the clank of halyards, the thrum of engines—and another on passenger ships, whether they carry poor immigrants or leisure cruisers. A very realistic bridge simulator will give you a feel for maneuvering a range of vessels, from huge container barges to high-speed boats and even Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferry.
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Seafaring Heritage
Appropriately located at Central Pier 8, this is the place to go to to learn about Hong Kong‘s rich maritime history. Visitors, through interactive displays, will wander through the city’s past seafaring adventures (just how were pirates conquered?) while also discovering how current shipping efforts contribute to Hong Kong‘s economy. In addition, special exhibitions explore the history of Hong Kong’s transition from a small village into the bustling global metropolis it is today.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum
An especially great idea for families with children, this museum has 15 galleries with exhibits highlighting the historic importance of the port of Hong Kong to China and to the world. There are exhibits on pirates and collections of nautical equipment, ship models, paintings and photographs of traditional Chinese junks. A realistic simulator of a ship’s bridge will give you a feel for maneuvering a range of vessels, from huge container barges to high-speed boats and even Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferry.
