Hong Kong needs a law on all things concerning museums. Why? Because museums are treasure troves of history, knowledge and inspiration for communities around the world and deserve the best care and protection by law. The long-term development of museums requires articulate urban planning and visionary curatorship under the auspices of a law, beginning with legislation. A law of this nature would provide a legal framework for museum owners/operators to follow.
At present, regrettably, such a legislative process has yet to start, and there is no dedicated and legally-binding licensing practice handled by the government according to law. Instead, they are required to apply for licenses in compliance with public entertainment and public safety codes, and the granting of these licenses is handled by different government departments. For example, public entertainment (venue) licenses are issued by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department; fire safety licenses are approved by the Fire Services Department; and those are not all the hoops museums must jump through before they are allowed to open to the public. Other relevant government departments include the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Architectural Services Department.
Many places around the world already have museum laws, while Hong Kong is in no hurry to say the least. Cities in the United Kingdom and the United States, such as London, San Francisco and New York City, have relevant laws for the establishment of museums. The number of museums in Hong Kong is pitifully small, of which some 27 are government-owned. That is to say, there is great potential for the development of museums in Hong Kong. The development of museums is a top priority in the development of tourist attractions.
Do we need more museums in Hong Kong? One may ask. The answer is yes. Hong Kong has a rich legacy of Lingnan (Guangdong) culture and a long history of cultural exchanges between China and the West. The rich cultural assets can be showcased in museums. These assets can also inspire Hong Kong residents to develop new museums, such as a museum of neon signs — a feature for which Hong Kong is known and which have been incorporated into many Hollywood blockbusters as well as fabled local cinematic productions. I’d also like to visit a museum of food culture someday to marvel at Hong Kong’s gastronomical appeal. How about a public transportation museum to educate people about Hong Kong’s street adventures? And let’s not forget about all the toys that were designed and made in Hong Kong for decades before production relocated to the mainland in the 1980s-’90s. In fact, Hong Kong has so much to offer in terms of themed museums, if you take a couple of seconds to think about it.
Museums can be developed in many forms, from huge museums to small and medium-sized museums. It would be great to encourage the business community to open museums that tell their stories. Why not set up small and medium-sized museums in shopping malls? They would not only attract people but also create more platforms for the development of cultural activities in Hong Kong. In fact, some new shopping malls have started to set up galleries and exhibition rooms. More cultural and artistic spaces can be developed on a large scale with the support of policies and laws, so that Hong Kong’s cultural and artistic workers have more platforms to display their works.
Now let’s brainstorm over how to go about the legislative procedure of a museum law, shall we? I believe that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should first conduct a study on the relationship between museum policies and legislation in different metropolitan areas as part of its urban planning business. Shanghai is now working on museum legislation as we speak, and there are already some robust and well-established systems in metropolises like Tokyo, New York and London that we can study and learn from. Once such a law is enacted, the museum industry will enjoy healthy development and create more social and tourism resources for public access. This is very important and productive for Hong Kong. The Legislative Council should also take the initiative and task the Research and Information Division of the Legislative Council Secretariat with researching the legislation at municipalities in different parts of the world and the current status of museum-related legislation in Hong Kong. It is only natural to have a dedicated law on museum-related matters in line with healthy and diversified cultural development.
The author is a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and artistic director of Zuni Icosahedron.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.