EVENT DESCRIPTION
For centuries, firecrackers have been an essential part of Chinese life and celebration. At weddings, birthdays, Chinese New Year celebrations, ancestral worship ceremonies, and festivals and joyous occasions of all kinds, firecrackers impress with their thunderous bursts, dazzling lights and colours, and showers of red paper resembling petals scattered upon the earthly world. The lingering scent of gunpowder smoke became the aroma of everyday life in the depths of time. By the 20th century, Macao had emerged as a global hub for firecracker manufacturing. Renowned for their quality, Macao’s firecrackers were not only popular throughout Chinese communities worldwide but were also exported across Europe and the Americas.
Sands China has long been committed to fostering cultural and artistic development, with a deep emphasis on the preservation and transmission of Macao’s cultural heritage. With the event coinciding with the centennial of the Iec Long Firecracker Factory, the exhibition now is specially held at Sands Gallery to revisit a remarkable chapter of history.
Two years in the making, the exhibition takes a multi-faceted approach, exploring history, craftsmanship, memory, and aesthetics of the firecracker industry. With over 400 exhibits, including precious original manuscripts and documents from the museum’s collection, firecracker-making tools, and original firecracker packaging papers, it revisits a glorious chapter in Macao’s industrial history and the invaluable cultural heritage. On this journey across time and space, we hope you will not only witness the “Made in Macao” past splendour but also personally explore and appreciate the distinctive character of this city — forged by its profound history and culture.
Furthermore, to promote academic exchange and public education, Sands China will collaborate with the Macau University of Science and Technology to present two extended academic exhibitions and activities. These complimentary activities are designed for students and the wider community, aiming to further promote the invaluable cultural treasures that are unique to Macao.
Public Guided Tour
Every Wednesday & Friday
(Guided Tours are not available on public holidays)
Schedule:
15:00 Cantonese session
16:00 Mandarin session
Duration: Approx. 45 minutes
Meeting Point: Entrance of Sands Gallery
Method of Participation: No reservation required – join on-site