Standing on a podium and holding up golden “trophies”, a grey-haired couple posed, laughing, at the Macau Grand Prix Museum in Zape.

After the “award ceremony”, the couple also experienced virtual motorcycling, taking photos of themselves in the virtual costumes of their favorite racers, and carried out “maintenance” of the racing vehicles.

“These interactive experiences make the whole visit very special and unforgettable,” said the woman, a local resident surnamed Chan, who chose to visit the museum on Wednesday, the International Museum Day, for free.

A spokesperson for the museum said it received nearly 900 visitors on Wednesday thanks to the free tickets and promotional activities, such as interactive games and gifts representing the museum’s unique features.

The Macau Grand Prix Museum is among the city’s over 30 museums that showcase its unique culture and history over the past four centuries where East meets West.

Li Xi, executive associate dean of the Faculty of International Tourism and Management of the City University of Macao, said the origin of Macau’s museums can be traced back to a museum of maritime affairs and fisheries founded in 1920 when Macau was still under Portuguese rule.

“After Macau’s return to the motherland in 1999, museums showing various subjects mushroomed, including museums of maritime affairs, telecommunications, as well as museums of historical figures, history and arts,” he said.

The Patane Night Watch House and Na Tcha* Exhibition Hall embody typical Chinese cultural features, while museums showcasing Catholic sacred art and Portuguese-style residences display the heritage of Western culture in Macau, Li pointed out.

Exhibits at more comprehensive museums such as the Macao Museum and the Macao Museum of Art (MAM) show the historical process of integration between Eastern and Western cultures in Macau.

According to a survey by the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC), the popularity of visiting museums among cultural activities rose 60.6 percent among local residents in the second quarter of 2021.

This year, in celebration of the International Museum Day themed “The Power of Museums”, about 20 museums in Macau are jointly hosting a carnival on May 29, offering interactive activities to the public, such as treasure hunting at the Handover Gifts Museum of Macao and a virtual journey of the maritime spice trade at the Maritime Museum.

In May, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hosted a string of workshops at museums. The Macao Museum of Art, for example, offered painting workshops to children aged between five and 10, where teachers guided the children through the museum’s exhibitions and taught them to paint.

George Leung, one of the students, said the special course was very attractive because it not only helped him better understand the exhibits, but also taught him to integrate his painting skills into his own works.

MGTO noted that it encourages museums to keep innovating and injecting vigor into the tourism market.

“Macau’s different museums provide multiple choices for tourists and help increase their understanding of Macau’s history and culture, becoming an important source of unique memories,” Li said.

– Xinhua, MPD

*Na Tcha (哪吒; spelt Nezha in Pinyin) is a tutelary deity in Taoism.

2013 file photo of Na Tcha Temple, which includes an exhibition hall. – Photo courtesy of Diego Delso/Wikimedia Commons