Antiquities and Monuments Office

Antiquities and Monuments Office
Traditional Chinese 古物古蹟辦事處
Simplified Chinese 古物古迹办事处

The Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) was established in 1976 under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance to protect and preserve Hong Kong's historic monuments. Housed in the Former Kowloon British School, the AMO is responsible for identifying, recording and researching buildings and items of historical interest, as well as organizing and coordinating surveys and excavations in areas of archaeological significance.[1] The Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong government currently manages the Office.

Former Kowloon British School, now housing the Antiquities and Monuments Office.
Plaque

Hierarchy

The AMO is the executive arm of the Antiquities Authority,[2] a portfolio of the Secretary for Home Affairs. The Government's problematic and confusing framework was exposed by the battle to preserve Queen's Pier.[3] The director of Hong Kong University's architectural conservation program, said that the government needed to clarify relations and responsibilities between the board, the office and the Antiquities Authority.[3]

Responsibilities

One of the duties of the Office is to foster public awareness of Hong Kong's heritage through education, publicity programmes and the setting up of heritage trails and exhibition centres. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre and the Ping Shan Tang Clan Gallery cum Heritage Trail Visitors Centre are under the management of the Office.[1]

The adaptive reuse of some historic buildings are organized by the Office, which also provides subvention to the Hong Kong Archaeological Society for excavations and surveys of unexplored heritages.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Homepage of the Office
  2. ↑ Legislative Council Brief, 22 June 2011. p.1
  3. 1 2 Una So, Court ruling clears way for Queen's Pier dismantling, The Standard, August 11, 2007
  4. ↑ "Introduction". Hong Kong Archaeological Society. Retrieved 8 October 2010.


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