The Hong Kong Maritime Museum (HKMM) announces the opening of “Across Victoria Harbour”, running from 1 March to 15 May 2024. This special exhibition tells the unique story of Victoria Harbour through the history of vessels that plied its waters, including passenger vessels such as sampans, ferries, motorboats, as well as working vessels like lighters, tugboats, and barges. The exhibition features a captivating collection of vintage Hong Kong photos, paintings, historical documents, and ship models, offering its audience a glimpse into the past. Interactive elements will also enhance visitors’ experience of the exhibition. A life-size reconstruction of the old motorboat ticket booth will enable visitors to take a sentimental photo with Victoria Harbour as its backdrop, while the multimedia game “Travel by Walla-Walla” will allow the audience to step back in time and relive the nostalgia of chartering a motorboat in the bygone era.
“The exhibition will enhance visitors’ understanding of the role of cross-harbour vessels in the context of economic and other influences in Hong Kong’s development,” Richard Kendall, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Maritime Museum remarked. “We invite audiences to come and be informed and entertained about Victoria Harbour, its vessels and our collective memories.”
Organised and curated by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, the exhibition explores the rich history of cross-harbour vessels, unveils their cultural significance and invites audiences to reconnect with the harbour, vessels, and the community’s collective memory. This exhibition centres around the familiar sight of Victoria Harbour. Through historical photographs and vessel models, the exhibition illustrates maritime trade activities from Hong Kong’s early years to the present. Of particular interest to maritime enthusiasts will be the once-ubiquitous “Walla-Walla” that recalls the glory days of the motorboat industry.
The exhibition is presented in four sections: “The Harbour, the City and the People”, “Crossing the Harbour”, “Freight Transport” and “Changes in Harbour Voyages”. The exhibition will take the audience on a journey through time and illustrate the past and present of cross-harbour vessels with the range of exhibits on display.