Great Outdoors of Hong Kong - the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense

When I was growing up in Hong Kong, I learned that the British who governed Hong Kong for over 150 years built up fortifications to defend their tiny colony from external threats.  Never did I once visit any of the forts, counting at least 10, in Hong Kong until my last visit back to Hong Kong in March this year.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover such a historical and beautiful museum called the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense previously called the Lei Yue Mun Fort, built in 1887.  The Redoubt was the core structure of the Lei Yeu Mun Fort, and contained barracks, batteries and a large open area for soldiers assembly in the old days.  The Museum is situated at the north-easterly tip of the Hong Kong Island in Shau Kei Wan. The Lei Yue Mun Fort was the most formidable fortification built by the British Royal Engineers against attacks by the French, Russian, and most importantly the Japanese during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941.

The Museum has a superb view of the Victoria Harbour obviously because of its strategic and high position.  The Redoubt is now 2 floors of galleries with the first floor containing 11 permanent exhibitions titled "600 Years of Coastal Defense in Hong Kong" and other special exhibitions, and the second floor containing thematic exhibitions, a small theatre and a children's corner for computer games and drawings.  The second floor balcony opens to the views of the beautiful Victoria Harbour and many military structures including the famous Brennan Torpedo station which was believed to be the most powerful underwater weapon at that time. 

I took some pictures of the exbihitions: the Chinese junk battleships (hard to believe they would be able to fight the iron ships of the West), the Redoubt gallery, a tank, and last but not least, my 6-year-old nephew's impression of a war plane after he urged me to visit this Museum and then drew me this gift during the visit.

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