It is rather difficult to find in the whole world a place so tiny although with such a rich past, culture and patrimony as Macau. Macau is indeed one of those cities which we may have difficulties to point out on the map, but once we walk through its narrow streets and charming squares we start realising what makes its unique way of life. Different beliefs, smells, costumes and habits parade in front of our eyes: a reality which is here for centuries embodied by the two major communities (Chinese and Portuguese) that found a sage and tolerant way to live together. It is this rich history that makes the specific cultural heritage of Macau, which we can observe in the various Museums of the city as well as in its monuments.
Macau Museum
Macau Museum was inaugurated on 18th of April, 1998. Its aim is to preserve the cultural traditions, usages and habits, which specifically belong to Macau, in a place where East, and West have so peculiarly learnt how to meet and to live side by side along the centuries.
Located at the Monte Fort and facing St.Paul's Ruins (the entrance is made by this side), the Museum also occupies the ancient Fortress, which, dominating the Inner Harbour, was built by the Jesuits at the beginning of the 17th century. Next to the fortress was the famous St.Paul's College also called the College of the Mother of God (considered as the first Western-type University in the Far East). The college was connected to the church bearing the same name and whose facade remains to be admired by all.
Although the Museum does not possess a collection of a high monetary value, it includes a vast number of objects of a great historical value which have been carefully chosen and are appealingly exhibited. It is the wish of this museum to be able to show the way of life of the several communities, which have inhabited the city for ages.
Genesis of Macau - The first floor is a short and comparative presentation of the way the European and Chinese civilisations have developed before having met, up to the time when Jorge Alvares arrived to the Pearl River Delta (1513). Immediately afterwards this rich period of time is then focused. It is a time full of encounters and of commercial and cultural relationships, developed along the centuries and modelling the Macau culture in a very peculiar way.
Popular Arts and Traditions of Macau - Progressing to the second floor, the visitor has the opportunity to contact different aspects of the popular art and traditions of this land, some of which have survived through times. Scenes of the city day-to-day life are revealed, including its hobbies, rites, rituals, festivals. The cultural differences, which here live side by side in a tolerant way, obviously catch the visitor's eye, together with the cultural symbiosis, which has grown with time and enriches in such a specific form the way of life of the people of this place.
Contemporary Macau - The third floor is also attractive for it shows Macau of the present time, including characteristic aspects of the city life. The space given to the way Macau has been pictured in literature is also interesting, and here the names of Camoes and Pessanha are prominent. This cultural circuit ends with a presentation of the perspectives and challenges of Macau in the role as a SAR of the People's Republic of China.
Address: Praceta do Museu de Macau, No. 112 Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission until 5:30 p.m.). Closed on Mondays. Tickets: MOP15, MOP8 - Children 5-10, students and seniors of 60 or above. Free admission - Children under 5 and school visits. Free entry to the public on the 15th of each month. Tel: (853) 2835 7911 Fax: (853) 2835 8503 E-mail:info.mm@icm.gov.mo Website:http://www.macaumuseum.gov.mo/ Bus routes: 7, 8, 8A, 17, 18, 19
Remarks: The Museum includes an interesting souvenir shop and a bar near the entrance. Exit is made by the Monte Fort, where beautiful panoramic views over the city and surrounding areas can be enjoyed.
Maritime Museum
If the history of Macau is really connected to the sea, there is, indeed, no better place for the Maritime Museum, than the Square of the Barra Pagoda, dedicated to the Taoist goddess "A-MA", the protector of the fishermen, and also believed as the place where the Portuguese landed for the first time. The place was called "A MA GAO" at the time (the harbour of A-MA) - hence the name of Macau. This is precisely the spot where the Maritime Museum is located and its building has the stylised form of a sailing ship anchored in the waters of the Inner Harbour.
On the ground floor the visitor can find the traditions and the way of life of the fishermen in Macau and South China: there are several types of ships, instruments and ways of fishing, different varieties of fish and shellfish living in these waters and even a copy of the house of a fisherman, where the whole family can be seen sharing the tasks which precede or follow the fishing activities.
The visitor should note the "Little A-Ma Theatre" which cheerfully tells the legend of this Goddess in Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
On the Mezzanine: the visitor will find a very interesting group of 14 copies of Portuguese traditional ships, including notes on their origins and functions, together with beautiful models of the ships: the Sagres and the Crioula.
The first floor is exclusively dedicated to the Great Discovery Trips, specially emphasising the Maritime History of China and Portugal, since it was the sea which brought these two civilisations together. The trips of Admiral Cheng Ho are interactively shown. During the Ming dynasty (15th century) Cheng Ho recognised India and Arabia from the sea and reached the Eastern coast of Africa. The routes of the Portuguese Discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries are also presented, together with samples of the products traded at that period: tea, spices, porcelain, silk,..
One of the sectors exhibits technical navigation instruments, including those used by the Portuguese (cross-staff, dial and astrolabe) and those invented by the Chinese (compass, balanced ship's wheel and side bulkheads).
Following this space, the second floor is dedicated to martime Technology and Transport and it illustrates the way Macau has recently been connected to the sea. Several traditional tools can be observed side by side with models of the latest ships, as for example the jetfoils that nowadays links Macau to Hong Kong. Special attention should be given to the monitor that enables the visitor to know details of the Macau weather, particularly during the typhoon season when the evolution of these phenomena can be observed.
On the way out the visitor will cross a gallery of aquariums allowing him to observe a riverbed, harbour waters, a coral reef and last of all the seabed harbouring the remains of a ship drowned long ago.
Outside of the museum the visitor will find several real size pieces, among which a dragon-boat similar to those used during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Address: Largo do Pagode da Barra, 1. Opening hours: From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (sales of tickets will close at 5:30 p.m.) Closed on Tuesdays. Tickets: 10 to under 18: 5 patacas (from Monday to Saturday) and 3 patacas (on Sunday); 18 to under 65: 10 patacas (from Monday to Saturday) and 5 patacas (on Sunday); under 10, 65 or above: free of charge. Tel: (853) 2859 5481, 2859 5483 Fax: (853) 2851 2160 E-mail:museumaritimo@marine.gov.mo Website:http://www.museumaritimo.gov.mo/ Bus routes: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 10A, 11, 18, 21, 21A, 26, 28B
Remarks: The Museum includes a nice esplanade by the river with a bar, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closed on Tuesdays). On the ground floor of the Museum there is a shop selling different souvenirs and printed editions about the city of Macau, maps, etc.
Wine Museum
This 1400 square-meter space is divided into different areas (Historical information/Wine Cellar/Museum and Exhibitions), using several types of supports: maps, texts, photos, tiles and videos, among other. The aim of these sectors is not only to give information regarding the wine and the grapevines, but also to recreate the atmosphere that involves the production of wine, presenting to the visitor the modern and traditional tools connected to the wine production.
One of the main targets of this museum is to bring the visitor into contact with the social, economical and cultural importance of the wine in the Portuguese tradition, daily life and celebration rituals. The visitor can even taste different types of wine (wine tasting - "Prova de vinhos"), an experience included in the ticket price.
The space which houses around 1115 wine marks is agreeably organised (756 commercial wines and 359 collection wines, the Porto 1815 being the oldest); it covers the different trade mark regions in Portugal and also presents samples of the wine production of the People's Republic of China. All the varieties are accompanied by a short explanation.
There is also a set of mannequins displayed with various regional dresses of different regions of Portugal.
Address: Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes 431, basement (Tourism Activities Centre-CAT). Opening hours: Everyday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ( Closed on Tuesdays). Free entrance Tel: (853) 8798 4188 Fax: (853) 2870 6076 Bus routes: 1A, 3, 3A, 10, 10A, 10B,12, 17, 23, 28A, 28B, 28C,32.
Grand Prix Museum
Inaugurated in 1993 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Macau Grand Prix, the aim of this museum is not only to encourage a closer relationship between the local population and this social and sports event, but also to enable foreign visitors to know this event which is of great tourist importance and has gained a renown place among the international championships.
The Macau Grand Prix includes a number of automobile and motorbike races and takes place every year in November. It started in 1954 due to the enthusiasm of a group of Macau residents and the support of the authorities. Then it was developed and enhanced along more than four decades and today it is an international sports event that attracts thousands of tourists to Macau, specially to view the classical "Guia Race" and the "Formula 3 Grand Prix". As it takes place in a street circuit with characteristics, which inevitably lead to a comparison to Monte Carlo, the Macau Grand Prix has been developing into a race which, due to the exactness and precision it imposes to its drivers, has had the participation of great names of the motor racing and also worked as a launching platform for many other names, the visitor will certainly recognise while visiting the Grand Prix Museum.
In celebration of the 50th Macau Grand Prix, the Macau Government Tourist Office has carried out extensive renovation and modernisation of the Grand Prix Museum.
The Museum pays tribute to individuals who contributed extensively to the success of the Grand Prix, namely Teddy Yip, Paul Du Toit, Laurel, Ayrton Senna and John Corsmit, among others.
Come and discover the Grand Prix Museum, where a collection of magnificent machines that raced and won the Guia circuit represents the history of one of the most exciting world circuits.
Place: Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes, 431, basement (Tourism Activities Centre-CAT). Opening hours: Everyday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closed on Tuesdays). Free entrance Tel: (853) 8798 4108 Fax: (853) 2870 6076 Bus routes: 1A, 3,3A,10,10A,10B,12,17,23,28A,28B,28C,32.
Macau Museum of Art
Under the management of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Macau Museum of Art is the only art museum in Macau, and provides the largest space dedicated to visual arts. It is situated in the Cultural Centre of Macau in the Outer Harbour area, and was inaugurated on 19 March 1999, with a total area of more than 10,000 square meters and expositive capacity of almost 4,000 square meters. The artistic works and cultural artefacts include Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings, Seals, Ceramics, Copperwares, Western paintings, Contemporary Arts, Photography artworks, and other significant collections.
There are 5 floors in the Museum with seven different exhibition galleries. The Gallery of Chinese Calligraphy and Paintings, and Gallery of Chinese Ceramics are located on the fourth floor, where mainly Chinese Calligraphy, Paintings, and Shiwan Ceramics of Canton are exhibited. On the second and third floor, there is a gallery for exhibitions of various themes, and displays collections of artists or from other places. The Gallery of Historical Pictures is located on the third floor where export-oriented Western paintings, and European prints of scenery of Macau, including the British George Chinnery and Lam Kua, are on exhibit.
In addition, there is a gallery on the first and ground floor mainly for artworks of the Museum, overseas artists, and contemporary artists in Macau. The auditorium is located on the first floor, and provides the capacity of more than 100 people. It is equipped for video projections and slides, and various seminars are regularly organized to public. The Museum has a library with many art-related books, and provides free access to use the audio facilities and internet services. The library is also equipped with visual facilities for over 400 international films in its visual room. On the ground floor, there is also a workshop where various art courses are regularly organized to public.
Address: The Macau Cultural Centre, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, s/n, Nape, Macau Opening hours of Museum: 10:00 to 19:00 (tickets are only available up to 18:30). Closed on Mondays. Opened on public holidays.; Tickets: Adults: MOP5.00; student (with valid student card): Mop2.00; children (under 12 years old) & elderly people (over 65 years old): free; free admission on Sundays & public holidays. A group of 10 or above: Mop2.00 per person. Opening hours of Library: 14:00 to 19:00, Tuesday to Friday; 11:00 to 19:00, Saturday and Sunday; closed on Mondays and public holidays. Tel: (853) 8791 9814/ 8791 9800/ 8791 9802 Fax: (853) 2875 1317 E-mail: artmuseum@iacm.gov.mo Website:http://www.artmuseum.gov.mo/ Bus routes:1A, 8, 12, 17, 23
Handover Gifts Museum of Macau
The Handover Gifts Museum of Macau is located next to the Macau Cultural Centre in Avenida Xian Xing Hai (NAPE). The location of the Museum is also the area that was used for the Handover Ceremony on 20th December 1999 in which Macau was returned to the Mainland. When the hall was dismantled after the ceremony the area became part of the Macau Cultural Centre. The Handover Gifts Museum of Macau was opened December 2004. The main aim of the Museum is to commemorate the handover for its significance in Macau's modern history. The inauguration of the Museum on the 5th anniversary of the handover is also indeed significant and momentous.
The Handover Gifts Museum of Macau is a three storey building. The first floor is the lobby, entrance and also contains the Museum's administrative offices. The second floor features the handover gifts exhibition gallery and the special exhibition gallery. The third floor contains an auditorium.
The handover gifts exhibition gallery mainly exhibits the handover gifts presented by the State Council of The People's Republic of China, its country-wide provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The special exhibition gallery will be used to hold different exhibits, which are mainly themed on the local culture and history of Macau.
Address: Avenida Xian Xing Hai, s/n, Nape, Macau
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (tickets are only available up to 18:30, closed on Mondays.) Tel: (853) 8504 1800 Organizer: Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Website:http://handovermuseum.iacm.gov.mo
Treasure of Sacred Art in the St. Dominic's Church
The Portuguese Dominicans built the Church of S. Domingos (St. Dominic's) during the decade of 1590 together with a convent, which no longer exists. The temple is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In the beginning it was built of wood but during the 17th century it was replaced by an imposing construction which included three naves. In the 18th century it receives the influence of the colonial baroque together with decorative motives characteristic of this region, a fact which contributes to its original features.
Treasure of Sacred Art in the St. Dominic's Church is now located in the buildings adjacent to the church and it has been opened to visitors since 1997. When the Religious Orders were abolished in Portugal in 1834, the temple received a great number of sacred art pieces that are presently shown in this museum, which occupies what is left of the ancient cloister and also some other rooms connected to the church.
The visitor should start by the church, carefully restored in 1994, in a way that will enable him to somehow experience the atmosphere of the ancient Catholic missions in China. Then go up to the museum rooms in order to admire the rich collections of gold objects, statues, richly ornamented canonicals, religious paintings as well as other liturgical vessels. Many of the pieces exhibited are from Macau but there are also some from other parts of Asia, namely from India. On the whole there are around 300 pieces of excellent quality dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Address: S. Domingos Square (next to Senado Square). Opening hours: Everyday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free entrance Tel: (853) 2836 7706 Bus routes: 2,3,3A,4,5,6,7,10,10A,11,18,19,21,21A,26,26A,33
Remarks: Right outside the museum there is an Electronic Guide of Macau (in Portuguese, Chinese and English), where the visitor can easily obtain information of Macau in order to plan other visits during his stay.
Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt
Built at the bottom end of the inner area of the St. Paul's Ruins - in the place where the magnificent church and the College of the Mother of God were previously located - the Crypt and the Museum of Sacred Art are evocative of the rich history of the missions in this region, whose main source was precisely the College of St. Paul.
The Crypt was built in the location of the chancel of the ancient church (destroyed by a big fire in 1835). On its side walls the visitor can observe the relics of the Japan and Vietnam martyrs. The list of their names can be found outside the crypt. The whole area is an invitation to meditation and evokes the first centuries of the missions of China and Japan and therefore the stones on which the first building was erected and also an initial grave have been left uncovered and they dominate the whole area. As a sacred spot, a cross and a tabernacle have been placed on the stones, facing an altar topped by a single marble stone.
In the room adjacent to the Crypt there is a Museum of Sacred Art, which includes objects of high historical and artistic value, dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. It is worth noticing a beautiful collection of Sino-Portuguese crucifixes made of ivory, wood and silver, as well as a large number of liturgical vessels in silver (chalices, incense boats, patens, pyxes, reliquaries, etc.).
The statues and the sacred paintings are also very interesting, many of them in Indo-Portuguese style. Visitors should notice St. Michael Archangel, of the 17th century (painted according the western techniques and models by a Japanese disciple of the Jesuit Giovanni Nicollo), not only because of its antiquity and imposing figure but also because it is the only work of the ancient college having survived the fire.
In the centre of the room there is the unique silver framework which carried Our Lady of Remedies, distinguished by its neo-classical lines but also showing rococo motives.
Address: St. Paul's Ruins. Opening hours: Everyday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free entrance Bus routes: 2,3,3A,4,5,6,7,8A,10,10A,11,17,18,19,21,21A,26,26A,33.
Remarks: The visitor should also visit the area surrounding the Ruins as well as the Crypt-museum in order to observe the foundations of the ancient naves of the church, old graves, the foundations of the old college, etc.
Dr. Sun Iat Sen's Memorial House in Macau
This original building in the architectonic patrimony of Macau houses a number of different documents, paying homage to the stay of Dr. Sun Iat Sen in Macau. Sun Iat Sen was the mentor and driving force of the Chinese republican revolution, which overthrew the weak regime of the Qing Dynasty. A charismatic personality that unites the Chinese soul, he is therefore considered as the "Father of the Nation". This place bears witness to his short but significant stay in Macau in the beginning of the century when, while fleeing the power of the imperial mandarins, he tried to move his supporters in order to establish a new regime in China. In Macau he received the support of some friends, at the time important and powerful persons in the political and social life of Macau.
Address: Av. Sidonio Pais (opposite the police station) Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays. Free entrance Tel: (853) 2857 4064 Bus routes: 2,4,9,9A,12,18,19,22,25.
Remarks: Located near the peaceful and agreeable Chinese garden, the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden.
Lin Zexu Memorial Museum of Macau
This small museum is located near the Lin Fong Temple and commemorates the visit of the imperial commissioner Lin Zexu to Macau on the 3rd of September 1839 (during the reign of the Emperor Dao Guang). The aim of the visit was to ensure both the prohibition of the opium trade in the Territory administered by the Portuguese authorities and the Portuguese neutrality in the differences that opposed Great Britain to China and which would lead to the Opium War. This war would result in the opening of a number of Chinese ports to the international commerce and to the cession of the Hong Kong Island to the British.
The documents of this museum consist mostly of photographs, bearing witness to that highly tense period in the history of modern China, a cycle which is now coming to its end.
Address: Av. Almirante Lacerda, near the Canidrome Dog Race Compound and at the foot of the Mong Ha Hill. Opening hours: Everyday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays). Tickets: Macau residents - average: 5 patacas;* under 8 and over 65: 3 patacas. Tel: (853) 2855 0166 Bus routes: 1,4,5,8,10,23,25,26A, 28B,32.
Remarks: The museum is located at the foot of the Mong Ha Hill where the visitor can enjoy a panoramic view of the Macau housing area, specially the north part of the city near the border (Portas do Cerco). The Lin Fong Temple, whose yard houses the museum, is an excellent example of the Chinese architecture. It is then worth of a long visit.
Fire Services Museum
This Fire Services Museum building was built in 1920 in European style, with more than 700 exhibits in two halls occupying an area of 350 square meters. In the main hall there are Chinese and British made pumps, old British fire engines, a display showing a fireman sliding down a pole, data, historic pictures and shield, flags, diplomas, medals and badges of the brigade. There is also a mannequin dressed in a 1940's ceremonial uniform.
The second hall show a more face of the brigade where there are a model of the Central Operational Post, an electronic board indicating the sites of current and past fire stations, a helmet and boots, traditional Chinese hoses and nozzles, old style fire alarms, the plaque with the word well ladders, the breathing apparatus and public fire hydrants. There is also a model simulating the effects of fire on a wooden hut.
Address: Estrada de Coelho do Amaral, no. 2 to 6 Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., opened on public holidays. Free entrance Tel: (853) 8396 0420 Fax: (853) 2836 1128 Bus routes: 7, 8A, 18, 19, 26
Source: Fire Services Museum
Museum of the Holy House of Mercy
The Holy House of Mercy, established in 1569, is the oldest social institution in Macau. To record and commemorate the many good works undertaken by the institution, the museum was inaugurated in December 2001. Oil paintings, ancient manuscripts, a bronze bell, ivory statues and religious artifacts are displayed with Chinese, Japanese and European porcelain pieces, testimony not only to the history of the House but to Macau itself.
Address: Travessa da Misericordia, No 2 (at Senado Square) Opening Hours: 10:00 to 13:00; 14:30 to 17:30. Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Admission Fee: MOP$5; students and elderly people (over 65 years old): free. Tel: (853) 2833 7503 Fax: (853) 2833 6975 Bus routes: 2,3,3A,4,5,6,7,8A,10,10A,11,18,19,21,21A,22,26,26A,33
Natural and Agrarian Museum
Located in the Seac Pai Van Park, this museum tries to show the visitor the fauna, the flora and the importance of the activities of the primary sector in the economic life of the Islands of Taipa and Coloane, both in previous times and nowadays. Using written and audio-visual supports, the museum offers the visitor the possibility to interactively know general aspects of the geography of Macau as well as its climate, important but rather unknown characteristics of the natural environment and the use of the plants of Macau by the Chinese Traditional Medicine.
Address: Seac Pai Van Park (Coloane Island ). Opening hours: Everyday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ( Closed on Mondays except holidays). Free entrance Tel: (853) 2887 0277 Fax: (853) 2887 0271 E-mail:decn@iacm.gov.mo Website: http://www.iacm.gov.mo/museum Bus routes: 21A,25,26,26A (departing from Macau). 15 (departing from Taipa).
Remarks: Museum of Nature & Agriculture is located in the peaceful and delightful Seac Pai Van Park at the foot of the hills of Coloane Island, possessing a number of different cultural and recreational infrastructures.
Taipa Houses - Museum
The Association of the eight panoramas of Macau selected the landscape that merges the classified area constituted by the Taipa Houses-Museum, the Carmo Church, the Carmo Lirbrary and the two little gardens as one of the eight views of Macau, especially the Taipa Houses-Museum, which includes five typical green houses with Macanese architectural characteristics of Portuguese Matrix, is considered one of the cultural relics and heritages of the Island.
The Taipa Houses-Museum was built in 1921, which had been the residences for high superiors and Macanese families. In the 80's, the Tourist Department of Macau (now the Macau Government Tourist Office) bought and recovered them. In late 90's, the government decided to fully remodel them, recognizing its important architectural value, transforming them into museums and renaming the houses as "Macanese House", "House of the Islands", "House of the Portugal Regions", "Exhibition Gallery" and "House for Reception" The Taipa Houses-Museum opened to public on 5 December 1999 and is administrated by the Civil and Municipal Affairs Bureau.
The Macanese House
The "Macanese House" is one of the Macau's typical houses in colonial style. It reminds visitors a period of Portuguese splendor that was characterized by frequent affluence of the British, Manchu, Mandarins and traders in this tiny territory. Wandering along the houses, anyone can admire and recognize the living standard of the Macanese families during that period. The characteristic of the house, furniture, objects, replicas and decoration is from the beginning of the 20th century.
House of the Islands
The "House of the Islands" is the only museum, where the physiognomy and history of the Taipa and Coloane Islands is exhibited. One can imagine by reviewing in retrospective, the past and the present on the Islands through historical traces, figures and written description. It is represented with ten themes, the characteristic of its physiognomy, archaeology, history development, actual population and transportation, temples, Portuguese building, cuisine, infrastructures and local activities.
House of the Portugal Regions
The "House of the Portugal Regions" is where Portuguese costume from different regions is shown.
Exhibition Gallery
The Gallery has served as a venue to host different kinds of exhibitions periodically with theme of photography, western painting, Ceramics and ware, sculpture etc and so far the host has invited different artists from all over the world such as Korea, Poland and Shanghai.
House of Reception
The "House for Reception" is designated only for private or government reception, as well as cultural events and gastronomy festivals.
Address: Avenida da Praia, Carmo Zone, Taipa, Macau Opening hours: 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. Open everyday except Mondays (if Monday happens to be public holidays, the museum will be closed on the next day). Open on public holidays. Tickets Price: Adult Mop$5.00, Student Mop$3.00, Group Mop$2.00, free entrance for children under 12 years old and seniors over 65 years old. Free entrance on Sundays. Tel.: (853) 2882 7103 / 2882 7527 E-mail:dic@iacm.gov.mo Website:http://www.iacm.gov.mo/museum Bus routes: 11,22,28A,30,33,34
Sound of the Century - Museum of Antique Electronics & Phonographs
On exhibit in the Museum is a collection of over 200 antique gramophones, old-fashioned wooden telephones and old models of radios which bore witness to a few hundred years of history and development of sound equipment and electronic appliances.
Opening hours: Appointment required one day in advance. Closed on Saturdays & Sundays. Address: Rua das Estalagens no. 13-15, 2nd Floor, Tai Peng Building. Admission Fee: MOP$30 Tel: (853) 2892 1389, 2892 0230 Fax: (853) 2892 0257 E-mail:support@tai-peng.com Website:http://www.tai-peng.com Bus route: 18
Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop Business
Introduction "Tak Seng On" [The Virtue and Success Pawnshop] was established in 1917 , and belonged, initially, to Mr. Kou Ho Ning a wealthy Macau merchant. The architectural design and layout, interior decor and equipment of this establishment would have been very similar to pawnshops in Mainland China at the time.
Today, this kind of pawnshop has been relegated to the annals of history, but as part of its mission to preserve the cultural heritage of Macau, the Cultural Institute of the Macau S.A.R. Government has restored "Tak Seng On" to its original condition. By visiting this historic premise, locals and tourists can glimpse the heyday of the pawn business in Macau.
The Operation of the Pawnshop Business Pawnshops have been a traditional form of business all over the world and date back at least 1,500 years in China. During the peak years of the pawn business in Macau, pawnshops were classified according to the kind of pledge they offered: Tong, On or Ngat.
Shops offering Tong involved the maximum level of capital investment in terms of scale and resources. Items could be pawned for up to three years and the interest rate was the lowest.
In shops offering On pledges, loans could be arranged for one or two years at a slightly higher rate of interest.
The third category, Ngat, had the smallest level of operating funds. These shops offered loans for periods ranging from four months to one year, at the highest interest rate.
Although Ngat establishments applied higher interest rates, they offered a quick solution for gamblers and cash-strapped clients who would usually pawn watches, jewellery or fountain pens, as is the case in contemporary pawnshops.
The Storehouse of a Pawnshop Behind the traditional Tong and On pawnshops, there was usually a multi-storey storage tower separated from the shop by a lane. The building had to be secure to protect all pledged articles and it thus had a unique architectural style.
The most precious articles were stored in a large safe, while other goods were placed on an assortment of racks. The store was constructed like a tower with granite foundations and thick brick walls lined with steel inner plates. On each floor there were four tiny slit windows with granite casements and bars. The overall design of the building was intended to ensure that it was protected against fire, flooding and theft.
The Rise and Fall of the Pawnshop Business in Macau The pawn business in Macau can be traced back to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) by the end of which there were already many pawnshops in operation. In a move to regulate business, on 26th December 1903 the local administration gazetted a Rule Governing Pawnshops in the City of Macau, which divided operations into the three traditional categories of Tong, On (of which Tak Seng On is an example) and Ngat and stipulated rules to protect the interests of both shop owners and clients. The business developed in the early years of the Republic but it was during the Sino-Japanese War (1938-1945) that it really flourished.
Part of the business also came from the massive influx of refugees from conflicts on the mainland, combined with residents of Hong Kong fleeing the Japanese invasion of the British colony. In just a few years, Macau's population grew from 150,000 to 500,000 resulting in severe shortages across the board. As prices for all basic commodities soared, the poor and the refugees were left with no option other than to pawn their belongings to make ends meet.
In the 1970s and 80s, Macau's economy enjoyed a boom and social conditions improved. The emergence of a strong banking sector and modern pawnshops affected the role of the traditional pawnshops. Over recent years, many of them, including "Tak Seng On", have closed their doors.
Smoking, eating and drinking are not allowed in the Pawnshop.
Source: Cultural Affairs Bureau
Museum of Macau Security Forces
In the lobby of the Public Security Forces Bureau at the Calcada dos Quarteis de Sao Francisco, there is a rich exhibition including valuable military and police objects such as guns, cannons, communication equipment, old photos and pictures of the Public Security Forces of Macau and fine models of the Public Security Forces Bureau and the checkpoint building at the Border Gate.
Address: Public Security Forces Bureau, Calçada dos Quartéis, Macau Opening hours:
Monday to Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Weekends & public holidays - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free Admission Tel: (853) 2855 9999 Fax: (853) 2855 9998 E-mail:info@fsm.gov.mo
Macau Tea Culture House
The 3-storey Macau Tea Culture House can be found in an old building renovated by renowned architect Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Marreiros. The House - an imposing edifice featuring southern European elements and a Chinese tiled roof - complements the Portuguese-style buildings in the area magnificently as well as the surrounding Suzhou-inspired landscape of Lou Lim Ieoc Gardens.
The 1,000 square metre Macau Tea Culture House was opened on 1 June 2005. This new attraction will stage a variety of long and short-term exhibitions to introduce the tea cultures of Macau, China and the West, and seeks to promote the study of tea cultures worldwide.
Address: Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, Macau Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Closed on Mondays, open on public holiday) Free admission Telephone enquiries: (853) 2882 7103 / 2858 6250 Fax: (853) 2882 7102 E-mail:dic@iacm.gov.mo Website:http://www.iacm.gov.mo/museum Bus routes: 2, 5, 9, 9A, 12, 16, 22, 25, 25X, 28C
Photo source: IACM
Communications Museum
Inaugurated on March 1, 2006 , the Communications Museum presents exhibits in two areas: Post/Philately and Telecommunications.
It is a place where visitors can, simultaneously, experiment, learn and have fun. It is to be a place of interactivity, discovery, experimentation, satisfaction and development of the visitors' abilities in the fields of Telecommunications; and to be a place of dissemination of Stamp Collection technique and promotion of Macau Philately, both to the Macau population and visitors.
Address: Estrada de D. Maria II, no.7 Opening hours: From 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Tickets: Adult - MOP 10.00 / Student - MOP 5.00 / Groups of 3 to 9 visitors - MOP 8.00 per person / Groups of 10 or above - MOP 7.00 per person
Entrance fee will be exempted for the following types of visitors:
1) ICOM Members
2) Teachers registered in DSEJ of Macau
3) Visiting groups of schools of Macau
4) Staff of DSC and members of "Clube de Pessoal dos CTT"
5) Senior of 65 years old or above
6) Children less than 3 years old.
Tickets are only available up to 5.00 p.m Telephone enquiries: (853) 2871 8063, 2871 8570 Fax: (853) 2871 8018 E-mail:commuseu@macaupost.gov.mo Website:http://macao.communications.museum/ Bus route: 2, 18
Museum of Taipa and Coloane History
The two-storey Museum of Taipa and Coloane History consists of nine exhibition rooms, a video presentation zone and a souvenir shop. A comprehensive collection of exhibits are displayed at the museum.
On the first floor, the exhibitions of the historical relics unearthed in Coloane, the stone architectural remains in the basement of the building of former Island Municipal Council, and the development of the villages, religions and culture of the islands provide an overview of the history and culture of old Coloane and Taipa.
The exhibition rooms on the second floor have different themes, including the history of the former Islands Municipal Council, a look back at agriculture and handicrafts in the old days, the architectural features of buildings in Coloane and Taipa and the recent development of the two islands. It provides visitors with a better understanding of the modern political and economical development of Coloane and Taipa.
Address: Rua Correia da Silva, Taipa Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Admission: Adult - MOP5.00,Student I.D. holder - MOP2.00,Group(Minimum 10 people) - MOP2.00,Free admission for under 12 or over 65 years old . (Free entrance on Sundays) Tel: (853) 2882 7103 / 2882 5631 Website:http://www.iacm.gov.mo/museum
