A hundred objects selected from The British Museum, telling stories of human development and world civilisation across two million years, are about to go on display in Hong Kong. From tomorrow until 9 September 2019, an exhibition titled The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum will be held at The Hong Kong Heritage Museum, inviting visitors to travel in time through the story of human civilisation and world development, and to review the power of observation and creativity of mankind at different periods of human history. Through this broadened vision, visitors will be able to gain new inspiration about mankind and world history.

Today (17 May), Club Chairman Dr Anthony W K Chow joined Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung, British Consul General to Hong Kong and Macao Andrew Heyn, Director of International Engagement of The British Museum Nadja Race, Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee Stanley Wong, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li, and Director of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum Fione Lo at the opening ceremony.

Dr Chow said the exhibition provided visitors with a unique opportunity to engage with the history of mankind through artefacts drawn from across the rich collections of The British Museum. “The Club’s support reflects our strong commitment to arts, culture and heritage, through which we seek to build a culturally vibrant Hong Kong, to enrich lives, and to promote social inclusion,” he noted. 

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum is solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Through a chronological display of 100 selected exhibits of different eras and regions from The British Museum’s collections, the exhibition reveals stories of mankind in the areas of power, belief, art, trading and technology, dating from two million years ago to the present. Echoing the theme of the exhibition, a parallel display is being mounted to showcase 100 objects from Hong Kong for those who would like to have a feel of the bygone days, and to encourage the younger generation to take an interest in their local history.

The Trust is also supporting a series of educational activities including guided tours, lectures, workshops for young and elderly people, and cross-generational programmes, providing additional dimensions on the wider historical and cultural context of the artefacts featured.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series is a partnership between the Trust and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Launched in 2012, it supports two to three major exhibitions each year, all of which are complemented by educational programmes. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum is the 25th exhibition that the Trust has supported. Notable previous exhibitions include Eternal Life – Exploring Ancient Egypt; Digital Dunhuang – Tales of Heaven and Earth; and Treasures of Time.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charity and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2017/18, the Club made a record return to the Government of HK$22.6 billion in duty and profits tax and contributed HK$1.2 billion to the Lotteries Fund. Approved charity donations were HK$4.2 billion. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world’s top ten charity donors. The Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.