Dr Jane Goodall, a noted humanitarian and environmentalist, has devoted a large part of her life to observing the behaviour of chimpanzees in their native habitat, as well as campaigning for environmental charities and concerns. From tomorrow until 2 October, Hong Kong people will have a chance to learn more about her early scientific discoveries at a free exhibition entitled The Hong Kong Jockey Club Presents─ Becoming Jane: Inspiring a Shared Planet at the Hong Kong Science Museum.

Today (23 May), the Club’s Executive Manager of Charities (Grant Making – Sports and Environment) Donna Tang joined at the opening ceremony by Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Michelle Li; Assistant Director (Conservation) of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Simon Chan; Chairman of The Jane Goodall Institute Hong Kong Ericson Chan and guests.

Funded exclusively by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Presents─ Becoming Jane: Inspiring a Shared Planet is the first-ever holistic presentation of Dr Goodall’s dedication to environmental conservation and to empowering youth to take constructive action towards protecting wildlife and nature.

Dr Goodall is considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Through nearly 60 years of ground-breaking work, Dr Goodall has not only shown the world the urgent need of protecting chimpanzees from extinction, her discovery and field research have also transformed our understanding of the species.

The exhibition provides immersive experiences for visitors by recreating the forest environment of the Gombe reserve in Tanzania where Dr Goodall made her initial exploration in the 1960s, vividly displaying her scientific discoveries through four topical zones and an interactive learning area. It is expected to attract about 450,000 visitors.

The “Introduction to Dr Jane Goodall” zone uses multimedia displays, including photos, videos and replicas of her belongings, to narrate the early life of the primatologist and how she turned her passion and enthusiasm for animals into a life-long research mission. In the “Early Days in Gombe” zone, the resembled primitive living environment of chimpanzees is simulated with “live” scale replicas of trees and chimps. The zone is also equipped with audio aids and Pepper’s ghost technique, offering visitors an experience traversing the forest and savannah of the reserve with “Dr Goodall”.

Five epic discoveries by Dr Goodall on chimpanzees are displayed in the “Chimpanzee Behavioural Study” zone with interactive “play and learn” elements, while the “Research and Conservation” zone showcases Dr Goodall’s work on nature conservation beyond the Gombe reserve. This includes the survival threats faced by wildlife due to human activities and what people can do to contribute to wildlife conservation.

Meanwhile, “Jane’s Tent”, a replica of Dr Goodall’s working tent in the Gombe reserve, is used as an interactive learning area for hosting thematic conservations and storytelling workshops that target different audiences, as well as for showing new short films about Dr Goodall. 

The Club’s funding is also covering a series of educational programmes to enhance public understanding of wildlife conservation and appreciation that began in mid-February and will continue until December. These include public lectures targeting young people and young environmental professionals; and in-school workshops at over 75 schools in different districts of Hong Kong using Virtual Reality technology to create a virtual tour experience for the exhibition.

Environmental protection is an important facet of the Club’s Charities Trust’s donations, particularly by way of public education through various school and community programmes. For instance, The Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change was established in 2013 as the first museum of its kind to offer an interactive, multimedia exhibition that features valuable collections and information about climate change. Last year, the Trust joined The Chinese University of Hong Kong as co-hosts to launch The Hong Kong Chapter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, with the aim of promoting 17 UN-initiated Sustainable Development Goals in the city.

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.