Out to Sea? The Plastic Garbage Project

Exhibition Content


A Nightmare at Sea
It comprises the plastic flotsam collected from the beach cleaning operations in the North Sea, Hawaii, the Baltic Sea and the rest of the world. The severity of sea plastic garbage issue can be seen in this pile of waste.

A pile of waste is displayed in the exhibition


Plastic in the Sea
The exhibits in this area depict the catastrophe suffered by the sea as a result of plastic waste. The area explores the facts that plastic waste is threatening the lives of birds and marine animals and affecting the whole ecosystem.

A great garbage patch is floating near water surface
Under the surface, Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 2009, photo: © Lindsey Hoshaw

Stranded plastic waste is found on a beach
Stranded plastic waste, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, 2006, photo: © Paulo Maurin/NOAA

Washed up ghost nets are found on a beach
Washed up ghost nets, Hawaii, US, photo: © Chris Pincetich/Marine Photobank

A California seal with a gillnet cutting into his neck is spotted
California seal with a gillnet cutting into his neck, US, 2009, photo: © Kanna Jones/Marine Photobank


The Mermaid’s Tears
This exhibit is an artpiece designed by Richard Lang and Judith Lang. It simulates the real situation where the mixing between microplastic and sand takes place in beaches contaminated by plastic garbage. With the help of a magnifying glass, can you distinguish grains of sand from plastic particles?

Visitors are observing the content of “The Mermaid’s Tears” interactive exhibit Microplastic particles are discovered in “The Mermaid’s Tears” interactive exhibit


Plastic in Everyday Life
Base on the principle of material science, these exhibits introduce the chemical composition, classification and recycling processes of different plastic products, and explore ways of minimizing the disposal of plastic items.

Toys made by plastic are displayed Daily items, for examples, storage box and water bucket made by recycled plastic are showcased.
Visitors are observing daily plastic items Daily items made by different kinds of plastic are displayed


Plastic Ocean Theatre
Constituted by a series of audiovisual programmes, it elaborates the damage of the sea caused by plastic garbage at different perspectives.


Plastic Sea Garbage in Hong Kong
This corner displays plastic garbage collected from local beaches and classified by students participating in “Project WeCan”. It also showcases different works of art created by the students using the plastic garbage. In addition, the Inter-departmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines provides an interpretation on the issue of plastic sea garbage in Hong Kong.

A group of students are collecting plastic garbage at a beach in order to create artpiece A group of students are collecting plastic garbage at a beach in order to create artpiece
Visitors are touring at the exhibition corner displaying artpieces made by plastic garbage Visitors are touring at the exhibition corner displaying artpieces made by plastic garbage