Coastal defence museum to reopen

November 23, 2022

Revamped museum:

Museum of History Museum Director Ng Chi-wo (first left) introduces new permanent exhibition "The Story of Hong Kong Coastal Defence" at the Museum of Coastal Defence to Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing (second left).

Military history:

The new permanent exhibition in the museum’s Redoubt consists of 11 galleries.

HK defenders:

Precious interview clips of anti-Japanese guerrillas, historical photos and videos are displayed in the museum.

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Voiceover: 
On December 8, 1941, the Japanese invaded Hong Kong and the Battle of Hong Kong ensued before the city surrendered 18 days later. 

War relics of anti-Japanese guerrillas who defended their homeland during the Japanese occupation can be found on an interactive map at the Museum of Coastal Defence.

Damaged by Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, the museum’s renovation work has been completed and it is ready to open its doors to the public again from November 24 for free.

The new permanent exhibition "The Story of Hong Kong Coastal Defence" in the museum’s Redoubt consists of 11 galleries.
 
With more multimedia elements, the exhibits narrate the history of the city’s coastal defence and military affairs, from the Tang Dynasty to Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.

Two more galleries introducing the history of the War of Resistance have been added.

Museum of History Museum Director Ng Chi-wo:  
Our new revamped exhibition aims to illustrate the close relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China in relation to costal defence history.

The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence was converted from Lyemun Fort, which played a very important defensive role during the Battle of Hong Kong. When people visit this museum they can actually experience the historical and spatial context during the war.

Voiceover:
On the museum's Lyemun Fort Historical Trail, 24 checkpoints with multimedia elements have been set up for visitors to immerse themselves in the military ambience of the site.

Visitors can download the "iM Guide" mobile app to interact with exhibits and obtain more multimedia content.

After major repairs and renovations, the Museum of Coastal Defence will reopen to the public tomorrow, with free admission.

The museum's revamped permanent exhibition narrates the history of the city's coastal defence and military affairs from the Tang dynasty to Hong Kong's return to the motherland, with multimedia elements added.

Addressing the opening ceremony today, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing said that the Government attaches great importance to facilitating public understanding of the history of Hong Kong's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, especially the contributions of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column.

He hoped that through visits to the museum, members of the public could learn and remember the tough times Chinese people had to go through during war time, pay tribute to the compatriots who bravely fought and died for their country and draw on their spiritual strength of patriotism so as to understand the inseparable ties between Hong Kong's past and China's modern history, and that their sense of belonging to the country and national pride could be strengthened.

The new permanent exhibition "The Story of Hong Kong Coastal Defence" in the museum’s Redoubt consists of 11 galleries.

The exhibition's themes include the introduction of military presence under successive dynasties, military arrangements, port facilities, history of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the volunteers, stories of multi-ethnic soldiers who served in Hong Kong as well as the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

The number of galleries introducing the history of the War of Resistance has been increased from two to four in the revamped museum.

Museum of History Museum Director Ng Chi-wo said the new exhibition aims to illustrate the close relationship between Hong Kong and the Mainland in relation to costal defence history.

“The Museum of Coastal Defence was converted from Lyemun Fort, which played a very important defensive role during the Battle of Hong Kong. When people visit this museum they can actually experience the historical and spatial context during the war.”

Twenty-four checkpoints are set up on the musuem's Lyemun Fort Historical Trail, including the Torpedo Station built in a cave on the shore, the Lyemun Redoubt, various batteries and caponiers.

The renovated museum adds multimedia elements to the historical trail. Visitors can use the "iM Guide" mobile app to interact with exhibits and obtain more multimedia content about the exhibits through their smartphone.

Click here for details.