Macau Grand Prix is a world-renowned tourism attraction as well as a large, premier sporting event, which over the course of the decades has emerged as an instantly recognizable brand of the city. Recently, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, announced that the Tourism Activities Centre, which currently houses the Grand Prix Museum in its basement, will undergo a major renovation into a new and expanded Grand Prix Museum, incorporating many new elements to attract even more visitors.

The new concept for the update of the Macau Grand Prix Museum calls for the complete remodeling of the entire five-storey building as the new-look Macau Grand Prix Museum. The Tourism Activities Centre currently houses the Grand Prix Museum, Wine Museum, exhibition area on the ground floor, conference halls on the first and second floors, lecture room, business centre, and office area on the third floor.

The museum will feature a racing vehicle display, a movie theatre, a wax figure display, a cultural and creative zone, an interactive family zone as well as simulation games area. Once the remodelling is completed, the total floor area of the museum will be expanded sixfold to occupy 16,000 square metres. All with the objective of raising awareness of and interest in the Macau Grand Prix event and enhancing reception capacity. The newly renovated museum is expected to cost MOP304 million (based on the market reference price for remodelling expenses of MOP19,000 per square metre), and open at the end of 2018.

MGTO unveils remodelling concepts of new museum

Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong, Engineer Diamantino Torrado and Architect Filipe Coutinho met with the media on 21^st July at the Tourism Activities Centre, where they presented the remodelling concepts for the Grand Prix Museum and the plan for the remodelling project. MGTO wishes to remodel the Tourism Activities Centre into an interactive museum that is brand-new, practical and energy-saving, whilst upholding the principle of effective use of public funds, maintaining information transparency and listening to different opinions in order to improve its work in the process.

Bearing in mind that the Tourism Activities Centre has been utilized for over two decades and taking into consideration the foundations of the building - which is joined to the Centre - MGTO has decided to adopt the remodelling method. After thorough professional evaluation of the engineering options, the Office has decided to remodel the building while maintaining its core structure.

The project involves a multitude of reconstructions and system installations, which increases its level of complexity. The remodelling project primarily consists of 'consultation service for electrical and mechanical equipment plan, fire protection plan, air conditioning and ventilation system plan, structural plan, water supply, drainage and piping system plan' as well as the construction work. The Office has completed the procedure of public service procurement for the consultation service, and expects to invite public tenders for the construction work early next year.

Opened in 1994, the Tourism Activities Centre is a facility under MGTO's management as part of the multifunctional structure of the Macau Forum. The whole building currently comprises five storeys including basement with major facilities such as the Grand Prix Museum, Wine Museum, Exhibition Hall and Conference Hall.