The mysteries of science and technology come to life here, with plenty of hands-on exhibits sure to appeal to children and adults alike. More than 500 exhibits cover four floors, with sections devoted to the life sciences; light, sound, and motion; meteorology and geography; electricity and magnetism; computers and robotics; construction; transportation and communication; occupational safety and health; energy efficiency; and food science and home technology. Children ages 3 to 7 can have free reign of an area designed especially for them. Visitors can play with different optical illusions, enter a rotating room to learn physics in a noninertial frame, "freeze" their shadows on a wall, pick up remote voices with a large parabolic disc, play with bubbles, navigate a flight over Hong Kong Island or Kowloon at night, watch the mechanisms of an eight-cylinder gasoline engine, and learn about herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. There are exhibits designed to test a visitor's fitness, such as lung capacity, endurance, and blood pressure. The computer section has more than 30 personal computers for guests to learn about computer software, including word processing for children and graphics production (to access the Internet, however, you'll have to go to the museum's Resource Center, where two computers are available for you to use for free until 6pm on weekdays and 7pm on weekends). This is a great place to bring kids on a rainy or humid day, when you'll want spend about 3 hours here. However, since this museum isn't unique to Hong Kong, I think childless adults can better spend their time elsewhere.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Hong Kong, 10th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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