Summer Holidays are just flying by! I'm really going to miss them! Before it was over, I joined the Marine Department Youth Group to visit the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.

Hong Kong Maritime Museum was established in 2003, a privately-owned museum, founded by professionals in the maritime industry and sponsored by the government. The Museum was initially located in Murray House in Stanley and relocated to its current site in Central in 2003. The museum is committed to preserving artifacts related to the maritime industry in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta. It showcases the maritime stories of different eras, highlighting the contributions and influences of ships and the ocean on society. The museum is divided into three floors, with themes including China's Maritime Heritage, Hong Kong's Port Stories, and Marine Science and Technology.

The Marine Department Youth Group invited Tour Guide Dong who took us on an interesting tour through the museum. Dong has an extensive knowledge of the maritime industry, and as we stood in front of each exhibit, he engaged us by telling interesting stories behind them.

We started our tour on the first floor, which displayed ancient model ships, nautical charts, paintings, and a wide variety of artifacts, showcasing the maritime history of the southern coast of China. In early ancient times, people used tree trunks, bamboo poles, and gourds as flotation devices. Over time, these evolved into sailboats and wooden boats. One of the highlights was a 1:12 scale Chinese model sailboat named " Keying ", which was the first Chinese ship to venture to Europe and America. In 1846, it set sail from Hong Kong, circumnavigated the Cape of Good Hope, passed the East Coast of the United States, and finally reached the river Thames in London, England. This voyage lasted one year and four months, setting the record for the farthest journey by a Chinese sailing ship.

We then went up to the second floor, which focused on the development of Hong Kong's story from a fishing port to a modern harbor. This floor displayed numerous model ships from the inception of floatation devices in Hong Kong to the present day, including the iconic Star Ferry, the Tai Loi ferry, and the World Dream cruise ship. The exhibition also featured a model of the old signal light from the Waglan Lighthouse, as well as photographs of the former Taikoo Dockyard. Additionally, this floor had several interactive installations for us to experience. We used radar to observe the positions and movements of ships in Victoria Harbour, there was also a simulation game where we could experience the process of loading and unloading cargo. Living in Hong Kong, a city surrounded by the sea on three sides, maritime matters are undeniably relevant to us.

After this visit, I have gained a comprehensive understanding of China's ancient achievements in navigation and how Hong Kong transformed from a small fishing village into an international maritime centre. In the future, I will pay more attention to local maritime news and hope for the opportunity to contribute to the industry, ensuring the continued robust development of Hong Kong's maritime sector.