Old Hong Kong police station gets new role hosting film-related show

Hong Kong’s old Yau Ma Tei police station, a century-old building and popular selfie spot among mainland Chinese tourists, will host a new film-related exhibition, with tickets going on sale from Saturday.\nOpening on January 2, the exhibition is the first to be held inside a police station and aims to promote tourism and culture related to local films.\n“It allows visitors to experience first-hand the interior design, ambience and iconic scenes of Hong Kong police and crime films inside a real police station, showcasing the unique creativity behind them,” a spokesman for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said on Friday.\nThe exhibition, titled “Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey” and designed by local filmmakers, features a film set of a criminal investigation department office from the 1970s and 1980s. Visitors will also be able to get a glimpse of cells and experience a realistic film-shooting environment.\nClassic police films will also be screened in the station’s control room.\nThe revitalisation and opening up of the 103-year-old former station, housed in a British Edwardian-style building, was one of nine projects proposed by the government’s Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots in May.\nThe grade 2 historic building, one of the few remaining pre-war police stations, has been classified as architecture of “special merit” that should be “selectively” preserved.\nVarious visitor guides on mainland social media platforms have recommended the spot to tourists.\nThe station, used as a backdrop for many classic Hong Kong television series, is among the most popular spots for selfies among mainland tourists.\nTickets go on sale at 10am on Saturday, priced at HK$30 (US$3.85) for adults and HK$10 for concessions, while children aged six or below will receive free entry.\nTickets must be bought online in advance, and each visit lasts 25 minutes.\nThe exhibition will have extended opening hours from 9am to 10pm daily from January 2 to 11. From January 12, opening hours on Tuesdays to Saturdays will be from 11am to 5pm and 7pm to 10pm, and from 9am to 10pm on Sundays and public holidays. The show will be closed on Mondays.\n\nFederation of Hong Kong Filmmakers spokesman Tenky Tin Kai-man said hosting a film-related exhibition in the old station was meaningful, given its significant contribution to the industry, particularly police and crime films.\nTin said he hoped the exhibition would become permanent and urged the government to transform the site into a Hong Kong film museum with rotating themes.\n“The industry hopes for a fixed venue to promote Hong Kong films, as none exists at the moment. It would be ideal if this happened,” Tin said.\nHe also proposed bundling nearby film-related locations, including Yau Ma Tei Theatre, the Avenue of Stars, and Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market, a frequent backdrop in movies, for promotion.\n“Do not assume one attraction is enough,” Tin said. “Once visitors come [to the old police station], they will realise many nearby spots have been used as filming locations.”\nTimothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said he expected the former station would attract larger crowds after its reopening.\nChui also pointed to the popularity of local TV dramas on the mainland and proposed a travel route linking Yau Ma Tei to TVB City, where many dramas are filmed, to provide a more comprehensive experience for tourists.\nBut he added that travel agencies would need to assess visitor traffic at the exhibition before incorporating it into group tour itineraries.\nThe Yau Tsim Mong District Office will also host a “Yau Ma Tei Dining and Shopping Festival” from January 1 to February 22, offering exclusive discounts to exhibition visitors.\n