Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware — Attraction in Hong Kong

I had a picnic at Hong Kong Park before heading over to the Flagstaff House Tea Ware Museum and it was a wonderful time spent in a beautiful ambience. I would imagine this museum to be the best respite for a hot afternoon day during the summer. The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is a Declared Monument inside the Hong Kong Park. Construction for the Flagstaff House completed in 1846, and it is the oldest surviving western styled building in Hong Kong.

When it began its first chapter, the Flagstaff House was named the Headquarters House. Its first occupant was Major-General Goerge Charles D’Aguilar, whose name is now borne by Cape D’Aguilar and the D’Aguilar Lighthouse. As the Commander of British Troops in China, D’Aguilar was a military officer when he arrived in Hong Kong in 1843. In 1844, he was appointed the Leutenant Governor of Hong Kong, and the Headquarter House was built specifically as his residence.

The building really is beautiful and stately as the former residence for the highest ranking British officer in Hong Kong, but I think it is really the interior that made the most striking impression. The tea museum is interesting in itself, as there are exhibits from as far back as the Zhou Dynasty there -- all the way to the Qing dynasty. But each room is lined with red caprets and a colonial era fireplace. Highly recommended museum and...

Flagstaff House had been named as Headquarter House until 1932.[2] The site chosen was a small bluff above the barracks and above Queen's Road, then at the waterfront.

The building was designed in Greek revival style. Historians suspect it was designed either by Murdoch Bruce, a Scot who was inspector of buildings, or by Lieutenant Bernard Collinson of the Royal Engineers.[2] The first occupant was Major-General George Charles D'Aguilar, General Officer Commanding from 1844 to 1846 who also held the post of Lieutenant Governor.[2]

The west and east wings were shelled during the Japanese invasion in the Second World War; it also suffered bomb damage. The Japanese repaired it and the Commandant took the building as his residence during the occupation.[2]

After the war, Flagstaff House was again the Commander's residence until 1978,[1] when the Commander moved to a purpose built house on Barker Road. It was handed over by the military to the civilian Hong Kong Government as part of the recovery of Victoria Barracks. The Government put it under the responsibility of the Urban Council in 1981.[2]

The building was declared a monument in 1989.[3] It was restored as far as possible to its original mid-19th-century appearance, structurally reinforced, and the interior was to be modified so that it could be used as...

The Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware is a surprisingly good speciality museum found in Hong Kong Park and it is free for all to visit. We usually visit here once or twice a year and particularly enjoy seeing the exhibited teaware from the annual Hong Kong Potters competition.

On the ground floor of the museum, you can see a permanent collection of tea ware, along with posters with images and text. It is a fair amount of information that is not overly texty. So you can read through, examine the pieces at a comfortable pace. One of the rooms has a television as well showing a programme on how tea ware is made.

On the ground floor there is also a children's play and entertainment room, a nice place for the little ones if the adults want to spend a bit more time inspecting the various teapots, cups and wares available in the other rooms.

For us, one of main reasons we like visiting this museum is to see the Tea Ware by Hong Kong Potters pieces which are often exhibited at the museum. There are always very interesting, thematic teaware that is very nice to look at and take pictures of. Note to those who enjoy contemporary art, you will get a rise out of some of the more creative teaware sets seen here.

You can comfortable visit both floors of the museum in...