Hong Kong's Police Museum

There are several excellent museums in Hong Kong, for example the Coastal Defence Museum, Heritage Museum, Maritime and Science Museums. But, hidden away among the dense foliage on the slopes of a hill overlooking Victoria Harbour is a real jewel of a museum, the Police Museum.

The museum is housed in the former Wanchai Gap police station, with a 119-year old field gun veteran of China's many 20^th century battles between warlords sited outside. Sadly, the museum's isolated position means that there are very few visitors; there were only about 10 people over the two hours that we visited.

The exhibits are arranged in several galleries.

First, the Orientation Gallery, an exhibition of the history of the force since 1844 with uniforms, weapons, equipment, old photographs and several displays including counterfeiting tools and old photographic equipment used by the Identification Bureau.

Off the corridor outside is a heroin manufacturing workshop with the tools and raw materials that would enable you to cook your own drugs.

 

 

The Triad and Narcotics Gallery houses a Triad altar from the 1950s, robes, fighting weapons, details of rituals, signs etc. The narcotics exhibits include examples of the various illegal drugs and clever ways that people have tried to smuggle them into the Territory (such as inside hollowed-out bibles and jade boulders, sewn into underwear). Opium smoking paraphernalia includes six opium pipes, of which two are beautifully decorated; one silver pipe has several etched dragons, the other has carvings of Buddha and dragons.

The Police Then & Now Gallery covers the history of the force from its inception in 1844 when there were 150 policemen to today when the force numbers 28,000 and is regarded as 'Asia's Finest.' There are forms, medals, various display boards including police dog activities (and one police dog was called Harry).

For me, the most poignant medal was the plague medal issued in 1894. Then the Colony was hit by a deadly plague when 2,500 residents died in a three-month period. The army, police, medical officers and volunteers collected the deserted dead, buried/disposed of them, tore down infected buildings, disinfected survivors and moved them out. Heroic work. In gratitude, the community issued 400 medals when the plague was finally defeated after two years. One of the few surviving medals is on display.

The last gallery is the Thematic Gallery and the current theme is buildings of the force with special emphasis on the recently-decommissioned Central Police Station, dating from 1864. 

Taking photographs is not allowed in the museum so I've copied illustrations from the museum's guidebook – at $20 Hong Kong dollars (£1.60 or US$2.5) for 96 pages it's a steal! And there is no charge for the museum admission!