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Hong Kong billionaire’s private collection of fossilised wood goes on show in public park

  • More than 100 fossilised pieces of wood collected by late Chinachem chairwoman Nina Wang unveiled in Tsuen Wan park
  • Designer says people will be able to touch rare pieces in new Nina Park and more exhibits to be added later

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A striking wood fossil exhibit at the new Nina Park, created with exhibits from the collection of late billionaire Nina Wang, who was chairwoman of Chinachem. Photo: Dickson Lee

More than 100 wood fossils up to 5.3 million years old have gone on display in a Hong Kong park, where visitors are allowed to touch the ancient remains.

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The fossils, collected by the late Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum, a billionaire and chairwoman of Chinachem Group, were unveiled on Friday, when the first phase of the park redesign to show off the fossils was opened free of charge to the public.

Chinachem, which created Nina Park in Tsuen Wan, said more than 100 pieces of museum-grade wood fossils would be on display, the largest collection of its type in an urban park in Asia.

Visitors will also be able to touch the exhibits.

Children examine a wood fossil on display at Tsuen Wan’s Nina Park. Photo: Dickson Lee
Children examine a wood fossil on display at Tsuen Wan’s Nina Park. Photo: Dickson Lee

All the fossils came from West Java, Indonesia and started to form about 2.6 million to 5.3 million years ago in the Pliocene era.

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The park’s designer, Chan Lai-kiu, said there were no concerns that the fossils might be damaged.

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