International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong has opened, offering more than 200 entertaining and educational activities to encourage people to join in museum events, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department says.

With the theme, "Museums and Young People", this year's event aims to enhance young people's understanding of the missions and functions of museums and to encourage them to take part in museum activities through a variety of programmes and services. A number of youth volunteer groups have been invited to take part in the event to tie in with the theme.

The Museum Panorama, a highlight programme, will run from 10am to 6pm today and tomorrow at the Cultural Centre Piazza to provide visitors with entertaining booth games and a series of educational activities, demonstrations and performances.

More than 40 illustrated catalogues and books, along with CD-roms and stationery items, produced by the department's museums will be on sale at 25% discount at the panorama while stocks last.

To encourage people to pay frequent visits to museums and to enjoy the facilities, a booth handling applications for museum passes will be set up at the panorama. A gift will be presented to those who buy a museum pass during the two-day event.

Apart from the panorama, educational and entertainment programmes including lectures on the work and functions of museums, workshops, guided tours, demonstrations, children's programmes, video programmes and behind-the-scenes tours will be held at different museums during Museum Two-week from May 15 to 28.

International Museum Day 2006, Hong Kong is organised by the department in support of International Museum Day first designated on May 18, 1978, by the International Council of Museums. For more details, click here or call 2721 0116.