Google project allows users to experience Hong Kong museums and heritage sites online

Reading Time:2 minutes

Electric City: The Neons of Hong Kong, from the West Kowloon Cultural District exhibit. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Published: 11:01am, 21 May 2015

Exhibitions from four Hong Kong museums and heritage sites have been digitised by the Google Cultural Institution to be viewed online and through dedicated apps.

The West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Hong Kong Medical Science Museum and St James’ Settlement were added to the online exhibition platform on Wednesday, joining the King of Kowloon street art exhibit launched in March.

“What has really impressed me is the speed we’ve been able to add institutions in Hong Kong, we worked with the King of Kowloon exhibition for our Street Art exhibition project … and now today is really special because we’re adding four partners,” said Amit Sood, director of the Google Cultural Institute.

Pacifying the South China Sea, from the Hong Kong Maritime Museum exhibit. Photo: SCMP Pictures

More than 400 items and 10 special exhibits have been added to the online archive by the four new partners, including the first use of gigapixel imagery in the city for “An unglazed painting of Canton (Guangzhou)” on display at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.

Gigapixel imagery takes detailed photographs of close to one billion pixels allowing viewers to zoom in to examine individual strokes or minor imperfections on the artwork.