If you would like to explore Tai Kwun on your own, you can follow our leaflets or audio guides on the Tai Kwun App and visit spots around the site along 6 thematic routes
Free admission | Routes are available on Tai Kwun App (Two of the routes* are printed on leaflets)
| Self-Guided Signage Walk: Look Left, Look Right | |
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The decommissioned compound has left us with numerous historical signages, which play an important role in unfolding the site’s stories. The “Look Left Look Right: Historical Signage” exhibition in June 2020 displayed a number of old signages behind glass showcases, but in fact there are still many of them having returned to their original locations. Join us on Tai Kwun App for a journey to search for historical signages around the site! 8 Checkpoints | 30 Minutes |
| Central Police Station | |
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Down the years, many buildings in this compound were used exclusively by the police. This route allows you to learn more about the evolution of law enforcement in Hong Kong from the beginning of colonial period to the decommissioning of Central Police Station in 2004, as well as the many stories that lie within. 5 Checkpoints | 30 Minutes |
| Victoria Prison | |
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This route helps you learn about the evolution of Hong Kong’s first jail, the overall development of correctional system, and the important roles these buildings played in the lives of illegal immigrants to the territory. 4 Checkpoints | 30 Minutes |
| Central Magistracy | |
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The Magistrate’s house, built for the then Chief Magistrate Captain William Caine in 1841, was one of the first buildings erected on this site. This route takes you to visit today’s third-generation courthouse, constructed in 1914, to learn about the fundamental role that Central Magistracy played in the development of Hong Kong’s judicial system. 2 Checkpoints | 15 Minutes |
| One-stop Approach for Law and Order* | |
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Encompassing a police station, magistracy and prison, the Central Police Station Compound provided an enclosed network of law enforcement, judicial and prison services. This route takes you back to the 1950s, allowing you to experience the process from detention to trial, then conviction and imprisonment from the perspective of a prisoner in the past. 7 Checkpoints | 30 Minutes |
| Architecture and Conservation* | |
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Since its first edifice – Magistrate’s House – was built here in 1841, the Central Police Station Compound has experienced many transformations. The site features a range of architecture from different times, built to fulfill individual requirements of the police, judiciary and prison services. This route will take you to discover the unique features of buildings and relevant conservation works around the compound. 9 Checkpoints | 30 Minutes |
