Astronomy and space science buffs should pay a visit to the city s only planetarium located in the unique egg-shaped domed building near the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, Hong Kong Space Museum. In fact, so unique is this 8,000-sq-metre museum that it is a landmark in Kowloon. And in He Hongshen Space Theatre, HD movie and cartoon are played, providing the audiences with unprecedented visual enjoyment. The Space Museum of Hong Kong is an ideal attraction for family visit.
The museum was opened in 1980 and is comprised by an east and a west wing. The former, the planetarium's nucleus, features the egg-shaped dome. Beneath it are the Stanley Ho Space Theatre (recently refurbished), the Hall of Space Science, workshops and offices. In the west wing, you ll find the Hall of Astronomy, a lecture hall, gift shop and offices. The Space Museum of Hong Kong is divided into two parts: the Exhibition Halls with Hall of Space Science and the Hall of Astronomy; and the Space Theatre.
The Hall of Space Science explores the human journey into space, with exhibits on ancient astronomical history, science fiction, early rockets, manned space flights, and future space programs. There are also several interactive rides and exhibits (most with weight and height restrictions), including a ride on a virtual paraglider, a harness that holds occupants aloft with the same approximate gravity they'd experience walking on the moon, and a multi-axis chair developed for astronaut training that gives the sensation of tumbling through space.
The Hall of Astronomy presents information on the solar system, solar science, the stars, and the universe. The museum, which was opened in 1980, rather dated. Come only if you have kids and time.
The Space Theatre in the Space Museum is equipped with a new digital planetarium projector and seats installed with a multi-language and interactive system. It is one of the largest planetariums in the world, with a 23m (75-ft.) domed roof, presents mostly OMNIMAX screenings with a projection system that produces an almost 360 panorama, and sky shows with a Zeiss star projector that can project up to about 9,000 stars.
Forty-minute to hour-long shows, ranging from such wonders of the world as the Great Barrier Reef to celestial phenomena like the Milky Way, are presented several times in a day. Only a few are narrated in English, but for the others, free headsets are available with simultaneous English translations. Try to buy your ticket at least a day in advance, either at the museum or any URBTIX outlet.