Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre
Encyclopedia
Kowloon Park
Kowloon Park is a large public park in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.-History:...
, Haiphong Road
Haiphong Road
Haiphong Road is a road south of Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. The road links Canton Road and Nathan Road. It was initially named as Elgin Street but its name changed to Haiphong, a city in Vietnam to avoid confusion with another Elgin Street on the Hong Kong Island-External links:*...
, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
, Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
The Centre occupies the historic Blocks S61 and S62 of the former Whitfield Barracks
Whitfield Barracks
Whitfield Barracks were barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is now the site of Kowloon Park, where several reconverted buildings remain.It was named after Henry Wase Whitfield, the commander of British Army in Hong Kong.-History:...
at the Kowloon Park.
History
The two blocks were built in circa 1910, when Hong Kong was under BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule
Colonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
as a crown colony
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...
. They were used for accommodating British troops
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
until 1967 when the military lands were returned to the colonial government
Government of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...
for redevelopment for leisure services. They were used by the Hong Kong Museum of History
Hong Kong Museum of History
The Hong Kong Museum of History is a museum which preserves Hong Kong's historical and cultural heritage. It is located next to the Hong Kong Science Museum....
as its temporary premises from 1983 to 1998 until the new museum complex was built in Tsim Sha Tsui East. The adoption of the historic military buildings to suit the complexities of modern display and educational uses has been carried out with care and sensitivity.
The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is under the management of the Antiquities and Monuments Office
Antiquities and Monuments Office
Antiquities and Monuments Office was established when the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance was enacted in 1976, to preserve Hong Kong's monuments under appropriate protection....
. It has opened its door to visitors since October 2005 with its thematic exhibition gallery, lecture hall, educational activity room and reference library. A standing exhibition on Hong Kong's cultural heritage will be open in mid 2007.
See also
- Heritage conservation in Hong KongHeritage conservation in Hong KongThis article details the history and status of Heritage conservation in Hong Kong, as well as the role of various stakeholders.An indication of the size of the built heritage in Hong Kong is given by a territory-wide survey conducted by the Antiquities and Monuments Office between 1996 and 2000,...
- Hong Kong Heritage MuseumHong Kong Heritage MuseumHong Kong Heritage Museum is a museum of history, art and culture in Sha Tin, Hong Kong, by the Shing Mun River. The museum opened on 16 December 2000. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government...
- Hong Kong Museum of HistoryHong Kong Museum of HistoryThe Hong Kong Museum of History is a museum which preserves Hong Kong's historical and cultural heritage. It is located next to the Hong Kong Science Museum....