Hong Kong Maritime Museum, a brand new museum in the city, will open on Sept. 8, said the museum curator Tuesday.

Funded by Hong Kong's international shipping community, preparation work for the museum began in 2003. The museum is intended to celebrate the history of shipping on the South China coast and the role Hong Kong has played.

As told by Assistant Curator of the museum Kenneth Wong at a press briefing, there will be over 500 different exhibits on display, ranging from a 2,000 year old Han Dynasty pottery boat to a futuristic video introduction of naval architects' vision of the future of the ship.

Historical and modern ship models, paintings ceramics, trade goods, interactive games and some other items in the museum will tell the long history of humanity's interaction with Asians seas.

A grand opening ceremony of the museum will be held on Sept. 8 and Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang will be one of the officiating guests.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2005)