With a land area of just over 30 square kilometers, China's Macao Special Administrative Region has more than 20 museums – almost one per square kilometer – including but not limited to history, art, science and maritime themes.

How many museums can you visit in a single day?

The CGTN Digital team tried its best to visit as many as possible by foot and public transport from dawn till sundown – check out the video and see if we have covered the most distinctive ones!

Located right next to Macao's most famous landmark, the Ruins of St.Paul's, the Macao Museum is the top choice for many first-time visitors.

With a rich display of exhibits that represent the mixed culture and history of both Western and Chinese communities, a group of buildings on a smaller scale at the second floor grabbed our attention. The architectural style, featuring typical and traditional elements of heritage, is prominently highlighted.

Here's a tip: Download the Macao Museum AR/VR application that launched last year to explore the virtual version of the museum and find the details of the exhibits before you come.

Built in 1921, a building complex of five green and white houses can be seen in the picturesque landscape of Taipa, and the local government has transformed them into a museum and gallery. Outdoor performances are frequent, especially during festive times.

The Macanese Living Museum recreates daily scenes from the past – with their own dialect and lifestyle, most of the Macanese community share Western religious beliefs, but they are also deeply influenced by Chinese life patterns.

Time is invisible, but timepieces are closely related to daily life and have played an important role in the history of Macao. There's a small but special private museum that can help you find more about the charm of watches and clocks – the Macao Timepiece Museum.

Founded only a year ago, the museum includes collections that can be traced back as far as 400 years. "We are proud and find it so meaningful to have our own timepiece museum in China," said the curator Fong Wing Ngai. "It's our mission to promote horological culture in a better way."

With the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland just around the corner, the Handover Gifts Museum of Macao is a must-see, especially given its location by the area used for the handover ceremony 20 years ago.

All of the gifts were designed with the nation's unique artistic regional styles and of course, represent best wishes and blessings toward Macao's prosperous future.

After a whole day of exploration, we have to say Macao is indeed a city full of tiny museums with a rich culture. If you're interested, try it out next time and let us know your own list of favorites!

 

Supervisor: Mei Yan

Project manager: Shan Yuan

Chief editor: Xu Jian

Director: Zhang Meng

Video editor: Zhang Meng

Reporter: Li Jingjing

Videographer: Xu Jiye

Editor: John Goodrich

Cover photo: Yin Yating