Jackie Chan Museum Finished

Well almost ...

THE Jackie Chan Museum, displaying the accomplishments of the renowned movie star, along with nine other arts and culture museums, is expected to receive visitors later this year.

The construction of the Jackie Chan Museum - the only one named after the Hong Kong cinema icon worldwide - has been completed but the interior decoration has yet to be finished, local authorities said yesterday.

All the museums, part of a culture tourism project, are housed along Suzhou Creek and are the highlights of the Changfeng Ecological Business Park in Putuo District.

People will see displays of Chan's acting accomplishments and charity activities. A large number of costumes, props and photographs will be exhibited at the museum.

Lu Huan, an official with the Putuo District government, told Shanghai Daily yesterday that some museums of the tourism project, such as the Changfeng Yacht Exhibition Hall, Shanghai Trademark and Logo Museum and Shanghai Textile Museum, are already open on a trial run, with free entry.

The Jackie Chan Museum comprises three buildings standing at the intersection of the Daduhe Road and Yuanling Road E.

In addition to the facility, museums featuring home appliances, cartoons, and paintings and calligraphy works are also under construction.

Along Suzhou Creek, people can visit various museums and cultural creativity projects lined along the 2.7-kilometer section.

SOURCE: EASTDAY.COM

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Very Cool Martial Arts Museum

BURBANK - Billed as the first of its kind in the world, the Martial Arts History Museum reopened in its permanent home in Burbank on Saturday amidst a flurry of martial arts celebrities and fans itching to get a glimpse of more than 300 artifacts.

The grand opening boasted 12th century Samurai armor replicas donated from Japan, colorful magazine covers, a variety of weapons, movie props and a timeline of martial arts films dating back to the 1920s.

It's not just all about Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jet Li or Jackie Chan, according to Michael Matsuda, owner and founder of the museum, which left Santa Clarita in 2008.

"It's not a who's who, even though there are obviously key figures that you need to put up to represent the history of martial arts," said Matsuda, a 10th degree black belt in Monkey Kung Fu. "These people are a part of Asian culture and show how it connects and is a part of American history as well. It's a blending of the two."

Asian martial arts first appeared on film in the 1921 movie "The Outside Woman," and continued with Japan's "The Seven Samurai," and the original "Green Hornet" TV show, according to the timeline, one of the more popular exhibits at the 3,500-square foot museum.

Later came 1971's "Billy Jack," which kicked off the Kung Fu craze of that decade, including the rise of David Carradine in his "Kung Fu" television series and Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in "Way of the Dragon."

Those movies paved the way for "The Karate Kid," "Big Trouble in Little China," "Xena," and more recently, the "Kill Bill" movies and "Kung Fu Panda."

Displayed below the timeline were props used in several popular movies, including the Karate Kid's Japanese sun-emblazoned headband, the medallion worn by Jackie Chan in "The Medallion" and the costume worn by Cynthia Rothrock - the female equivalent of Chuck Norris in the martial arts world - in "Sci-Fighter."

The idea behind the fighting icons, costumes and weapons is to give people a chance to learn about Asian cultures and the hundreds of fighting styles that have sprung from it, such as Japan's Judo, Korea's Hapkido, and Thailand's Muay Thai.

"This will give a glimpse into how deep the history is and how deep the influences are in today's movies," said Douglas Wong, a Northridge-based martial arts instructor who trained Lucy Lawless for "Xena," Kevin Sorbo for "Hercules," and Carradine. "It's part of Chinese history. You can't talk about Chinese history without martial arts."

And it's a chance for people to learn about the martial arts greats, said Rothrock, a five-time World Karate Champion who holds six black belts in various fighting styles.

"This will keep their memory forever," said Rothrock, who posed for pictures with fans beside her costume. "I think the history gets a little bit lost in martial arts. People don't really know the ancestors. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be where we are today. They taught all of us. They were our inspiration."

Prince Albert Jackson, a martial arts fan from Sherman Oaks, was beside himself. He recalled watching many of the movies listed on the timeline growing up in Bermuda.

"It's fantastic," said Jackson, who said he would return as the museum displays new artifacts. "I'm glad something like this exists."

SOURCE: DAILY NEWS.COM

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A Gift For The New Year From Porsche

Carrera GT - P03. Image Credit Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

A Gift For The New Year From Porsche

If you are traveling through Germany this next year, you may want to take a side trip on over to Stuttgart.

Ok, so you were planning to go there anyway because as any automobile-file knows, that is the “mecca” of Porsche sport cars … where they are made, but there is even a bigger reason to make the trek!

Porsche will be placing on display their over sixty years of automobile innovation history in a purpose built museum, the Porscheplatz, due for its debut at the end of this first month of 2009.

New Porsche Museum to be opened on 31 January 2009. Image Credit Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

This excerpted and edited from press releases displayed at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG website -

New Porsche Museum to be opened on 31 January 2009

Stuttgart. In the new Porsche Museum the final preparations are made for the opening on Saturday 31 January 2009.

At last, now that the scaffolding has been removed, it is possible to see to the full extent the bold architecture of the building at the head office premises of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG in Zuffenhausen:

The 5,600 square metres of exhibition space are supported on just three so-called cores of reinforced concrete – hence just seeming to hover in space. Inside the building the majority of approximately 80 exhibits are already in place.

Model range showing the 911 Turbo Cabriolet, the Cayman S, the Boxster and the Cayenne GTS (2008). Image Credit Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

In the other areas of the new building – amongst them the museum workshops, the museum shop, the Porsche archive, an exclusive restaurant, a bistro and the capacious event areas – a team of experts are busy putting the finishing touches.

Three days after the ceremonial opening, which takes place on Wednesday the 28 January 2009, the doors of the new Porsche Museum will be flung open to welcome the first visitors. On a daily basis, apart from Mondays, the exhibition can be viewed for an admission price of eight Euros (reduced price: four Euros). Children up to the age of 14 get free admission when accompanied by an adult.

Building the engine into a Porsche 356 B (1960). Image Credit Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

The restaurant on the second floor – which has both a view through the glass facade onto the Porscheplatz as well as through the glass partition into the exhibition itself – has its own separate entrance and is also open at hours different from those of the museum itself.

Porsche tractor Standard from c.1961. Image Credit Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

With the new museum and its range of catering facilities additional capacity for conferences, company and private events in exceptional surroundings will come into being. We have already received hosts of inquiries.

Interested parties can get more detailed information from the internet on www.porsche.com/museum.

The following contacts are available for inquiries:

Group bookings and special guided tours:
Tel.: 0049 711 911 20911
Fax: 0049 711 911 20356
E-Mail: info.museum@porsche.de

Event inquiries:
Tel.: 0049 711 911 21911
Fax: 0049 711 911 21356
E-Mail: events.museum@porsche.de
Reference Here>>

Photos showing 60 year history of Porsche - HERE

AT&T Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection

Image Credit: AT&T Williams

AT&T Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection

On average, Williams F1 builds seven chassis per season. Over a thirty year history, that's a lot of cars, so, what do we do with them?

In a video released by AT&T Williams, the race team takes you behind the scenes at Grove and into their Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection and museum workshop.

Image Credit: AT&T Williams

The collection features the most successful racecars from the 30 years of the team’s history.

Cars shown were driven by Allen Jones, Jacques Villenueve, Nigel Mansell, Juan Pablo Montoya and one experimental chassis that sported a six-wheel design. The "Star" notation next to the chassis nameplate is explained.

"We at AT&T Williams are excited to open our doors and show our fans that building a Formula One car is an exciting, organic process that requires dedication and application from all of our 500-strong team. This programme does just that." commented Scott Garrett, Head of Marketing, Williams F1.
(source: AT&T Williams)

... notes from The EDJE