Hong Kong government rejects proposal to set up mechanism to fund private museums
But deputy culture chief says authorities will keep supporting them through promotions and favourable land policies
Hong Kong authorities have turned down suggestions to set up a mechanism to fund private museums but pledged to continue supporting them through promotions and favourable land policies.
Undersecretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Raistlin Lau Chun said on Wednesday that the government must consider resource allocation to avoid placing undue financial strain on public funds when helping private museums.
“Due to differences in the history, themes, scale, operational models and financial situations of each museum, the government currently has no plans to establish a standard mechanism to support the operation of private museums,” Lau said, responding to lawmaker Ma Fung-kwok’s inquiry at the Legislative Council.
“However, we will consider aligning with government policy goals, societal expectations and the specific circumstances of individual museums to provide various forms of support for the operation of individual private museums, subject to resource availability.”
The GuWei Museum in Southern district became the latest addition to the city’s private museums in September, showcasing nearly 700 artefacts and exhibits that span seven categories, including Chinese porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties produced for the European market.
The owners bought two properties at Wong Chuk Hang’s Global Trade Square measuring more than 9,000 sq ft and 2,000 sq ft respectively and were not aware private museums could apply for government funding.
