A New Honor for the PM Studies Project

The Hong Kong Museum of History, under the government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, has invited Dr. Roy Eric Xavier (BIO) to join a team of scholars to create a “Portuguese Gallery” as part of “The Hong Kong Story”, the Museum’s permanent exhibition.

As stated in a letter written by Mr. Osmond Chan, the Museum’s Curator:

“In order to bring about a new museum experience to the Hong Kong public and overseas visitors, our museum is now going to renovate its permanent exhibition, entitled “The Hong Kong Story” from scratch. Apart from bringing in new exhibits, our approach will focus more on the stories of people who grew with our city. These people are not merely confined to the local Chinese, but also foreign communities who have contributed to the success story of Hong Kong. … and we would like to kick it off with the introduction of the Portuguese-Macanese who were among the first to arrive … during the colonial period.”

Currently in the design phase, the project will involve a complete makeover of the permanent exhibit and the inclusion of multimedia elements, all of which are scheduled for completion by early 2022.

In accepting the appointment, Dr. Xavier will contribute portions of his published and current research on the history of the Macanese community, with particular attention to individuals, families, and institutions in Hong Kong beginning with their first appearance in 1842. He will work directly with Mr. Francisco da Roza, Honorary Curator of the Portuguese Gallery, and past president of the Club Lusitano.

Dr. Xavier’s research includes a study of the Hongkong Printing Press, which was founded in 1888 by his great-grandfather, Lisbello de Jesus Xavier, who was a member of the Club Lusitano (1903 – 1909) and the founder of the Club de Recreio (1903). For more information, the first article in the series is linked HERE.