This October 14th 2019, Tai Kwun won the Award of Excellence in this year’s UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, after its official reopening in May 2018.
The place used to serve as the Central Police Compound, and now the buildings are conserved and repurposed for people to enjoy art and culture of Hong Kong. The revitalisation was initiated in 2008, and it aims to conserve the historic buildings and at the same time find a new use for them.
Built in the mid 19th century, Tai Kwun served as an important site consisting of Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison. During the revitalisation project, 16 buildings were restored and 2 were newly built as gallery and auditorium. Now people can enjoy the historical storytelling of the heritage and art exhibitions and events of contemporary art.
In order to visit Tai Kwun, it is recommended to sign up for a Tai Kwun pass. During the popular hours, they limit quota of visitors due to preservation reasons.
They also offer free guided tours by booking. You can walk around the historic site with an in-depth story of how the place used to serve Hong Kong and the intricate conservation that has been done. By taking the tour, you will clearly start to understand why the place has been awarded by UNESCO for their conservation.
Other than free tour there are free exhibitions and events as well. Check out the ones that are going on right now : Projekt Berlin, Tai Kwun Dance Season 2019, Very Natural Actions, Phantom Plane, Cyber Punk in the Year of the Future and more!