2012.06.28   “Creatures of the Abyss” exhibition takes visitors on wonderful journey to the deep sea (English version only)

Good afternoon. Welcome to the opening of the ‘Creatures of the Abyss’ exhibition.

In March this year, film director James Cameron who made Titanic and Avatar won the “race to inner space”. He was successful in diving on a solo mission to the deepest place on Earth, the 11-kilometer-deep Mariana Trench’s Challenger Deep in the Pacific inside his futuristic submersible. Just this week, the Chinese manned submersible Jiaolong (蛟龍號) descended to over 7,000 meters in the Mariana Trench. Exploring the deep is equally as thrilling as probing outer space that man has always longed to.

The deep sea is a mysterious world as most of it remains largely unexplored. On the way to the sea floor, light fades away, temperature drops and pressure increases. At 4,000 meters, the water is just above the freezing point and pitch black. Yet, in such a hostile environment, there exists a surprising variety of creatures whose appearances defy our wildest imagination.

“Creatures of the Abyss” invites visitors to discover the “final frontier” of our planet. They are taken on a voyage that only a few may be privileged to have the experience of a lifetime. About 40 interactive exhibits depict the diversity and eccentricity of life, unique landform and physical phenomena of the deep ocean. Models of a 8-meter-long giant squid and a full scale sperm whale head are used to explain the adaptive features and intelligence of these creatures. The Bioluminescence Theatre shows how animals communicate in total darkness in the abyss. Visitor can take a virtual ride in the Alvin submersible and revisit some of its famous dives, including the one in 1977 that resulted in the discovery of hydrothermal vents.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Science North for developing such a wonderful and high quality exhibition and taking it all the way to Hong Kong. This has signaled the beginning of a long-awaited collaboration between Science North and the Hong Kong Science Museum. I am sure this exhibition will enjoy great popularity among museum goers and help spread the message that the fragile ocean environment desperately needs our protection.

May I now invite all of you to visit the exhibition and explore the mysterious world of the abyss.

Thank You.