The government on Thursday announced plans to move the Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui to Sha Tin to make way for a museum on national development and achievements.

Under the plan, the existing Heritage Museum would close and its collections would be reallocated to other museums, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said.

In papers submitted to Legco, the bureau did not provide a timeline as to when the changes would take place, saying a budget and details on preliminary works will be tabled to lawmakers if the plan is backed.

Officials said the museum on national development and achievements would strengthen young people's national identity.

"The museum will cover national history, including the experiences of western powers invading China and fighting bravely against Japan, the development of the Communist Party of China, the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, and the country's opening up and reforms," the bureau said in the papers submitted to Legco.

It added that Hong Kong will also be featured in different exhibits of the new museum so that visitors can understand how the SAR's development is closely linked with that of the nation.

The bureau said opening the national development museum in the same location as the Science Museum will shorten the time needed to build it.

According to government figures, the Science Museum received the most visitors among local museums in the past two years, reaching 1.1 million in the last financial year.

The Heritage Museum had the fourth most visitors last year, at around 451,000.