Hong Kong Photography Collection: Contributing to the Preservation of Hong Kong’s Cultural Heritage

The Digital Collections Portal features unique and valuable media items created by Pao Yue-kong Library (PolyU Library) in addition to digitised rare books and lyric manuscripts. Among these treasures is the Hong Kong Photography Collection — an initiative aimed at capturing iconic buildings and districts across Hong Kong to preserve the city’s memories from the 1990s and beyond. This collection highlights the transformation of Hong Kong’s urban landscape, documenting sites that have been revitalised and others that were demolished due to redevelopment. Examples include Hong Lok Street and Palace Theatre, which no longer exist, alongside landmark revitalised spaces like Central Market and Lui Seng Chun.

The photographs in this collection were taken between 1988 and 2010 by PolyU Library, with most originally captured on slide film –  predating recent cultural preservation movements. The digitisation project enables users to closely examine intricate details with the images, and discover relevant background information to enrich their studies and research. Whether you are interested in Hong Kong’s architectural history or urban development, this collection provides an invaluable visual record of the city’s evolution.

• Central Market (中環街市) (1988)
• Western Market 舊上環街市/西港城 (1988)
• The Peninsula Hong Kong (半島酒店) (1990)
• The Regent Hong Kong (香港麗晶酒店) (1990)
• Hong Kok Street (康樂街- 雀仔街) (1991)
• Palace Theatre (碧麗宮戲院) (1991)
• Lui Seng Chun (雷生春) (2004)
• Yue Man Square (裕民坊)(2006)

• Central Market （中環街市）(1988)
  Central Market, once the city’s first wet market for fresh foods, closed in 2003 and lay abandoned until its 2021 revitalisation as a hub for dining, shopping, and culture.
  

• Western Market (舊上環街市/西港城) (1988)
  Western Market originated as the north block of the Old Sheung Wan Market, which was completed in 1906. The south block was demolished and replaced by the Sheung Wan Municipal Complex in 1989. The north block received monument status in 1990. In 1991, it transitioned from a traditional market to a centre dedicated to traditional trades and crafts, reopening as Western Market. The site is currently undergoing its third significant renovation, with completion anticipated in 2028.
  

• The Peninsula Hong Kong (半島酒店) (1990)
  Founded in 1928, The Peninsula Hong Kong is a colonial-style luxury hotel situated in Tsim Sha Tsui. In 1994, the hotel was expanded with a 30-storey tower. The historic façade was preserved, seamlessly blending colonial architecture with modern design.
  
  

• The Regent Hong Kong (香港麗晶酒店) (1990)
  Opened in 1980 as The Regent, the hotel became InterContinental Hong Kong in 2001. In 2015, it began renovations and rebranding as Regent Hong Kong, with its latest transformation completed in 2023 to usher in a new era of luxury and heritage.
  

• Hong Lok Street (康樂街 – 雀仔街) (1991)
  Hong Lok Street, situated in Mong Kok, earned its reputation as “Bird Street” because it was well known for shops selling pet birds and birdcages. In the mid to late 1990s, the street underwent redevelopment and became part of the large Langham Place shopping complex.
  

• Palace Theatre (碧麗宮戲院) (1991)
  The Palace Theatre, which opened in the late 1970s in Causeway Bay, featured mostly foreign-language films and had a seating capacity of over 1,000. It closed in 1994, and its site was redeveloped into the World Trade Centre Mall.
  

• Lui Seng Chun （雷生春）(2004)
  Lui Seng Chun, designated as a statutory monument, was constructed in 1931. Located in Mong Kok, it is a traditional Chinese tenement building that incorporates elements of classical Italian architecture. In 2012, the building was revitalised and began operating as a non-profit Chinese medicine clinic.
  

• Yue Man Square (裕民坊) (2006)
  Yue Man Square has been the commercial and social centre of Kwun Tong since late 1950s and early 1960s. The site was included in the Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment Project in 1998 and the original Yue Man Square was gradually cleared and redeveloped. In 2021, the new Yue Man Square (YM²) opened, bringing together a modern shopping mall with community amenities.