Yeung was responding to criticism of a paper submitted to the Legislative Council proposing to turn the existing Science Museum into one that showcased the nation’s achievements.

Under the plan, the Science Museum would be moved to the Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, with the collections and exhibitions of the latter rearranged and amalgamated into other museums.

Yeung said that if they could secure a plot of land in the urban area for a new museum, there would be greater space and flexibility in organising exhibitions in the future.

“This will definitely be better than converting existing facilities,” he said, but noted that “it may not necessarily be the Science Museum, it can be other existing facilities”.

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Lawmaker Ma Fung-Kwok slammed the Legco paper as “roughly done”, adding that he would be surprised if it did not draw criticism.

“I was confused as to why this needed to be done upon reading the document,” Ma said. “It was also unable to explain and articulate the plan clearly. Overall, it’s hard to convince people what the government is trying to do.”

Yeung said the paper was not initiated by his bureau but rather submitted at the request of lawmakers, stressing the museum reshuffle was an option in case there was no land available.

Lawmakers also suggested other options for housing the various museums at different locations, such as establishing a newer and larger Science Museum in the Northern Metropolis or replacing the City Gallery at the City Hall in Central with the national achievement museum.

Lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen pointed out that the government’s proposal complicated the matter, saying having to move collections and exhibits of two existing institutions would not be involved if a new facility could be built.

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“It is a good thing to be building a national achievement museum, but having to move the Science Museum and break up the Heritage Museum is absolutely not cost-effective and unwise,” Tik said.

“It can also create an impression as to whether everything has to give way to political correctness. I urge the government to think twice.”

In his October policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the government would set up a museum highlighting national achievements, while the existing Museum of Coastal Defence in 2024 would be converted into a Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, introducing events throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The number of museums would also increase from the current 15 to 20 by 2032, with the average attendance expected to rise from 5 million to 9 million, he said.

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In August last year, the government applied to expand the Science Museum and the adjacent Hong Kong Museum of History with the construction of three new buildings. The expansion, with a total floor area of about 358,000 sq ft, is expected to be completed by 2030 and has received Town Planning Board approval.

Under the latest proposal, the new museum set to be built on the expansion site will showcase national history, including foreign invasions and the country’s resistance, the development of the Chinese Communist Party and the founding of China.

National security, aerospace technology and Hong Kong-specific content are also expected to be included.

Authorities chose the downtown site for convenience in attracting visitors, the availability of large space and to shorten the overall construction time, the bureau said.