Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence

On a rare weekend, I wanted to take my children out to relax and unwind, so I brought them here - the Coastal Defence Museum, which is the site of the old Lei Yue Mun Fort near Shau Kei Wan and has a history of over a hundred years. There are 24 historical sites to visit, where you can learn about the coastal defense history of the past and experience the strategic geographical situation of the Lei Yue Mun Channel. From the main gate, you need to walk to the museum entrance halfway up the mountain, then take the elevator to the exhibition room at the top of the mountain. From bottom to top, you can observe the construction of coastal defense in the past. There are also old military chariots, artillery batteries, etc. next to the ramp. After getting out of the elevator, looking down from the top of the mountain, you can not only see the beautiful scenery of the entire Lei Yue Mun Channel and Victoria Harbour, but also the Eastern Corridor connecting Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan. It must be said that there are many check-in spots along the way, with shells shot through the pedestrian paths, but it turns out that these locations are not just for check-in, the Japanese army actually dropped shells here. In addition, the historical trail has added various devices to simulate the military equipment of the time, and you will encounter soldiers from different fronts along the way. Take a trip to the Coastal Defense Museum and you can quickly learn about the history of coastal defense at that time through the ancient relics and texts displayed in the museum. Exhibition Hall No. 2 offers a glimpse into the coastal defense history of the Ming Dynasty; Exhibition Hall No. 3 offers a glimpse into the fortresses and artillery batteries built by the Qing government in Hong Kong; Exhibition Hall No. 4 mainly introduces the Opium War, including the opium trade, the outbreak of the Opium War, and the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing. In addition to the coastal defense history of the Ming and Qing dynasties, exhibition halls 5 to 7 display the coastal defense facilities built by Britain in Hong Kong during the early British colonial period, the Royal Engineers' survey of Hong Kong's terrain, the British construction of fortifications and improvements in artillery technology in Hong Kong after 1860, and the life, uniforms and equipment of the British army. The 8th-9th Exhibition Hall displays the history of the three years and eight months of the Japanese occupation period (1941-1945), introducing the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong and the living conditions during the Japanese occupation period. Exhibition Hall No. 10 introduces the history of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment from its formation to its disbandment; Exhibition Hall No. 11 introduces the history of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the establishment of the Hong Kong Garrison; in addition to the above permanent exhibitions, there will be some other exhibitions during the period, such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong Anti-Japanese War Relics Exhibition this time, which exhibits some relics from the Second World War, including maps, declarations, letters, anti-Japanese war propaganda publications, etc. Military notes issued during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong can also be seen here; when the Japanese army attacked Hong Kong in 1941, fierce fighting took place and the defenders at that time died heroically, which shows the cruelty of the war at that time. Different exhibition halls introduce Hong Kong's coastal defense history from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the British government's rule, the Anti-Japanese War, and after the return. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many fortifications and forts were built in Hong Kong, and ships were dispatched to patrol the waters in the area to defend against invasions by pirates and Western colonists. After the British occupied Hong Kong in 1841, many coastal defense facilities were built. In December 1941, Japan sent troops to invade and occupied Hong Kong for three years. After Japan surrendered, Britain reoccupied Hong Kong and stationed troops there again until Hong Kong returned to China in 1997. The People's Liberation Army stationed in Hong Kong took on the mission of Hong Kong's coastal defense. In addition to text and picture descriptions, the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence also exhibits more than a hundred precious historical relics, and is accompanied by multimedia audio-visual programs, including the old "Battle of Hong Kong" video, allowing the audience to feel as if they were there in person. The museum is mainly composed of a fortress and a historic trail. It was built in 1887 and is a large-scale British defense facility with 18 basements, which were originally barracks, ammunition depots, artillery assembly rooms and coal bunkers. The open-air square in the center of the fortress is where soldiers gather. A large tent was added to the top of the restored fortress, displaying a permanent exhibition on the history of Hong Kong's coastal defense. The outdoor heritage trail preserves the facilities of the time, including trenches, torpedo launch stations, trench forts, officers' and soldiers' barracks, artillery batteries and underground ammunition depots. At the West Battery, there is a replica of a rapid-fire cannon on display. However, the original cannonballs had a range that could reach the opposite strait, so its attack power should not be underestimated. On the lower level is the underground ammunition depot of the West Fort, which 100% restores the setting and placement of the ammunition depot at that time, and the ammunition is also a one-to-one replica! The torpedo installation is also not to be missed. This was the Brennan Torpedo Station, the most powerful in the world at that time. Not only does it retain its original appearance, but it has also been renovated to include a new torpedo model. Visitors can also use AR technology to learn in real time how the soldiers operated the torpedo device at that time, as if they were there to understand the history of Hong Kong’s coastal defense. The historic trail will pass by the pier. In addition to the familiar "Tamar" anchor, the museum has also set up viewing seats on the shore. After renovation, the main exhibition hall now has a total of 11 permanent exhibition halls, and has thoughtfully added a number of multimedia interactive installations, such as LED display panels, immersive documentaries, etc., allowing everyone to understand Hong Kong's coastal defense and military history from multiple perspectives. #Good Places for Families #Local Travel #Good Places in Hong Kong #Museum Recommendations #Understanding History #Good Places in Shau Kei Wan