Tai Kwun - A Prison Turned Aesthetic Arts Center??

This was a former Hong Kong Police Station and Prison called the Central Police Station and Victoria Prison. It was built 150 years ago and has been a place to lock up criminals and punish them…

… and now it’s a center for heritage and contemporary arts?? Huh 😂

I passed by this compound and saw the tall walls and scary looking gates, and thought to myself “some rich guy or government official must live here”. But then I saw that people were walking in and out from the side entrance and my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to venture in.

And I’m so glad I did! The compound was filled with nice restaurants, boutique stores and art installations. It was so hipster and so interesting. I can definitely tell that I was a former prison because there was a huge courtyard surrounded by dormitory-style buildings, where I’m sure a lot of unpleasant things happened. However, now kids are running around the courtyard and parents are dining alfresco under fairy lights while sipping wine. It is just very interesting to me that they chose such a spot to transform into a place for entertainment and fun.

I visited a couple boutiques and there were a lot of interesting finds: a store that sells cafe-grade tableware, a splash/spinning paint workshop, and more.

I also visited the famous Dragonfly Bar, which I assume got it’s name from the super pretty interior decor and lights.

All in all, it’s such an awesome place to visit in the evening and I’m definitely going to come back again.

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