Time capsule: Macau’s 25-year transformation captured in photos

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to Chinese sovereignty, the Macau Museum will host a special photography exhibition titled “Old Meets New: A Historical Photo Exhibition Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Macau’s Return to the Motherland” from July 13 to September 8.

The exhibition opens this Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the museum’s lobby and will showcase nearly 120 old and new photographs along with other artifacts that capture the dramatic changes in Macau’s urban landscape and cultural characteristics since the 1999 handover. Divided into five sections – “Historical Buildings,” “Everyday Life,” “Scenes of the Past,” “Celebrating the Return,” and “Today’s Macau” – the exhibition will pay tribute to Macau’s prosperous development over the past 25 years.

In addition to the physical exhibition, the Macau Museum will also launch an online virtual reality exhibition on the same theme, allowing the public to visit the exhibition remotely via the museum website. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day but Mondays, and admission is free for residents and on the 15th of every month.

“This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for the public to reflect on Macau’s remarkable transformation over the past quarter-century,” said a spokesperson for the Macau Museum. “We hope visitors will be inspired by the city’s progress and proud of its unique cultural heritage.”

The “Old Meets New” exhibition is part of Macau’s broader celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of its return to China. The city is also hosting a series of student and youth performances, including parades and artistic workshops at various locations around Macau from July 20 to July 25. Nadia Shaw