Commissioned by the Tourism Commission, the City in Time Project is developed and produced by the School of Creative Media of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). The historical panoramas were modelled in 3D, deploying augmented reality (AR) and multimedia technologies to optical track and spatially align them with the actual environment. Coupled with engaging animations and special sound effects, it offers locals and tourists a comprehensive and immersive travelling experience.

The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, “With ‘Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong’, City in Time allows locals and tourists to experience Hong Kong’s past and present through the City in Time mobile app. The Project covers designated locations in Central, the Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei, Jordan and Lei Yue Mun. It will be extended to Tai Hang and Kowloon City later on, tying in with the new trend of city walk and in-depth travel, as well as enriching tourists’ travelling experience.” Professor Jeffrey Shaw, Artistic Director of the Project, also said, “City in Time puts Hong Kong at the forefront of a new media technologically enriched tourism industry. It is the world’s first comprehensive deployment of AR technology in the urban environment, robustly designed to enhance people’s experience of the city’s past and present.”

City in Time was first launched in 2021 at 28 designated locations in Central, the Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei, and Jordan, where it received widespread acclaim. This time, in addition to expanding to Lei Yue Mun, the mobile app’s features have been upgraded. These upgrades include adding filters and video recording to the selfie function, and advancing the animation of the historical panoramas to 3D.

Six New Check-in Spots: A Closer Look at the Old Days of Lei Yue Mun

The six new designated locations are situated at various viewing decks along the Lei Yue Mun waterfront. Use the mobile app when strolling along the waterfront to scan the AR clocks, locals and tourists can travel back in time to Lei Yue Mun and discover its past in different periods. It feels like entering time tunnel. The six AR clocks depict different historical stories from various periods of Lei Yue Mun, covering themes such as historical and cultural development, development of the seafood and quarrying industries, changes in sea transportation, etc. allowing locals and tourists to explore the cultural history of Lei Yue Mun in depth.

Pilgrimage to Hong Kong Filming Locations: Revisiting the Classics

City in Time has also incorporated film elements at its existing designated locations, encouraging locals and tourists to make pilgrimages to Hong Kong filming locations and watch classic Hong Kong film clips on-site, allowing them to experience the fleeting moments of light and shadow. The films include City on Fire, C’est la vie, mon chéri (Endless Love), Infernal Affairs III, Anita, and A Guilty Conscience, which recently won Best Film at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards.

The City in Time mobile app is available for free downloading at the Apple App Store and Google Play. Locals and tourists can also experience it remotely via the City in Time website (cityintime.hk), enjoying the past and present views of various designated locations anytime, anywhere.