New permanent exhibition on cultural monuments：Tai Kwun Central Magistracy

Description

The Central Magistrates' Office was opened in 1841 and closed in 1979. As the first court in Hong Kong, its existing neoclassical buildings are now listed as statutory monuments. This exhibition explores the architectural design of the Magistrates’ Office and the evolution of its role in the criminal justice system, and reflects the relationship between the public and the law in Hong Kong’s history. In addition, the exhibition showcases the works of two artists - large-scale street scenes created by Huo Kaisheng and a collection of court case stories painted by Kelly Chung.
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Following the opening of "Victoria Prison: Wards B and D" with a new look, this exhibition is the second phase of Tai Kwun's several-year renovation of the permanent exhibitions on cultural monuments.

This exhibition takes a fresh look at the heritage building of the Central Magistracy and the role it played in Hong Kong’s criminal justice system through a humanising lens, beginning in 1841 and ending with the building’s decommission in 1979.

The new research shines a light on the perspectives of the scores of people who passed through the courts, from the longest serving magistrate to the destitute hawker. Through their stories, the exhibition shows the struggles and inequalities of everyday life in a city divided by class, ethnicity, and language, while also unravelling the complex intricacies of race, poverty, and punishment.

Unveiling the court’s hidden spaces and thousands of untold stories, the interpretation highlights the value of the heritage site in opening discussions on equity and social justice—core principles for building a more just society in the face of contemporary social challenges.