This exhibition takes a fresh look at the heritage building of the Central Magistracy and the role it played in Hong Kong’s criminal justice system through a humanising lens, beginning in 1841 and ending with the building’s decommission in 1979.

The new research shines a light on the perspectives of the scores of people who passed through the courts, from the longest serving magistrate to the destitute hawker. Through their stories, the exhibition shows the struggles and inequalities of everyday life in a city divided by class, ethnicity, and language, while also unravelling the complex intricacies of race, poverty, and punishment.

Unveiling the court’s hidden spaces and thousands of untold stories, the interpretation highlights the value of the heritage site in opening discussions on equity and social justice—core principles for building a more just society in the face of contemporary social challenges.