Newly relocated Hong Kong Maritime Museum is a hidden gem

The Maritime Museum is now - appropriately - located on Pier No 8 at the heart of Victoria Harbour.

We visit on a sunny Sunday expecting to find hordes of families escaping the early summer heat but the exhibits, set out over three floors, are largely uncrowded.

This is a surprise, largely because it is soon clear that this homage to all things maritime is a hidden gem.

The modern interiors, which resemble a ship's decks, are well laid out, with four spacious galleries on C deck divided into historical themes. These include the maritime traditions of ancient Chinese civilisations, with ceramics dating back to the Han dynasty, along with old nautical instruments and the early development of the harbour.

Alexandra, 15, was fascinated by the interactive iPad system, which allows traditional paintings of seafaring activities to be enlarged for detailed inspection, while 10-year-old Francesca was intrigued by the up-to-the-minute information on modern day piracy - complete with a digital map.

Interestingly, there were several young researchers on hand carrying out surveys to help identify ways to improve the displays.

B deck also includes a series of 100 beautifully crafted ships including a scale model of the Keying, a three-masted Chinese trading junk that was the first vessel of its kind to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.