Fortress of Resistance: Lei Yue Mun Wartime Heritage Tour

Experiences for educators

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Explore the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and discover how Hong Kong defended its coastline during the War of Resistance. This guided tour brings you through historic fortifications, exhibition halls, and military trails to reveal stories of wartime struggle, resilience, and memory.

Tour overview

Perched above the narrow waters of the Lei Yue Mun channel, the former Lyemun Fort stands as a silent witness to war, occupation, and resistance. This guided tour takes you deep into the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, revealing how coastal defence, imperial strategy, and local resistance intersected at a critical moment in the city’s history.

Housed within the century-old fortifications, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence provides a powerful introduction to the military history of Hong Kong, from colonial defence planning to the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941. As we move through redoubts, batteries, and underground spaces, we uncover how the site evolved from a Victorian-era stronghold into a frontline of conflict during the Japanese invasion.

Beyond the battlefield narratives, this tour also foregrounds stories of resilience. You will learn about guerrilla networks, civilian endurance, and the strategic importance of Hong Kong’s coastline during the War of Resistance. Walking along the historical trail, surrounded by trenches, torpedo stations, and ruined barracks, the landscape itself becomes an archive — bearing traces of fear, preparation, and survival.

This is not just a tour of military architecture, but a journey into how war reshaped Hong Kong’s people, geography, and collective memory.

Selected highlights

Some of the points of interest include:

Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence

Housed in the century-old former Lei Yue Mun Fort, this museum offers an in-depth look at Hong Kong’s wartime history.

Redoubt (Exhibition Halls)

Built in 1887 as a Victorian-era military fortification, is now transformed into an exhibition space, it tells the stories of Hong Kong’s coastal defences, the Battle of Hong Kong, and the anti-Japanese guerrilla movement.

Central Battery

Commissioned in 1887, this key defensive position once guarding the Lei Yue Mun channel, it remains a striking example of historical military engineering.

Historical Trail in Lyemun Fort

A route linking 24 heritage sites, including batteries, redoubts, trenches, a torpedo station, and barracks ruins.

Proof Yard

Built between 1940 and 1941 for testing and handling explosives, this facility—together with nearby magazines—formed one of Hong Kong’s largest ammunition depots.

Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence

Housed in the century-old former Lei Yue Mun Fort, this museum offers an in-depth look at Hong Kong’s wartime history.

Redoubt (Exhibition Halls)

Central Battery

Commissioned in 1887, this key defensive position once guarding the Lei Yue Mun channel, it remains a striking example of historical military engineering.

Historical Trail in Lyemun Fort

A route linking 24 heritage sites, including batteries, redoubts, trenches, a torpedo station, and barracks ruins.

Proof Yard

Built between 1940 and 1941 for testing and handling explosives, this facility—together with nearby magazines—formed one of Hong Kong’s largest ammunition depots.

History

Junior Secondary (Secondary 2 & 3)
- Understand the context in which the Lei Yue Mun area became a key defensive fortrress in the 19th and 20th centuries, the significant impact of international developments (such as arms race between powers and China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression) on Hong Kong, and how these military constructions responded to challenges facing national security and urban development.
- Explain the connection between the Lei Yue Mun Fort and Hong Kong’s historical development (such as wars, external threats, and local resistance) in a chronological and causal manner.
- Understand the weapons technology and related military relics during World War II, and explain how military technology (such as artillery, torpedoes, and uniforms) evolved over time.
Senior Secondary (Topics A & B)
- Analyze the importance of Hong Kong in international strategy (such as the East Asian defense line and the interaction between the great powers).
- Explain the impact of the rise and fall of the Lei Yue Mun Fortress on local politics, the overall situation of the war, and national security.
- Use historical sites, archives, and artifacts to interpret history and develop a critical and responsible attitude towards preserving cultural heritage and diverse social memories.

Citizenship and Social Development

The meaning and implementation of “one country, two systems”
- Gain an in-depth understanding of Hong Kong’s past role in national defence, especially the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the suffering of the people during wartime, thereby deepening their understanding of the nation’s development.
- Reflect on topics such as ‘national security’, ‘social responsibility’ and ‘historical responsibility’, enhance their sense of national identity and belonging, and appreciate the shared efforts of diverse ethnic groups in the War of Resistance and the defence of our homeland.

Tour Information

We reserve the right to make changes to the information, prices and itineraries of the tours as set out in our website and all printed promotional materials. Provided that such changes have been made prior to the confirmation of a booking, such changes shall be binding on the participants.
Any information or advice provided by us on matters including but not limited to walking routes, climate, clothing, travel documents, baggage, special equipment, etc. is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of us.
All information provided on our website is correct to the best of our knowledge, but we cannot assure that such information would be free from errors or omission and we shall assume no responsibilities for any such errors of omission.
Our website may contain hyperlinks to other websites owned and operated by third parties. We have no control over, or associate with, such sites and we assume no responsibilities for the contents of such sites. The inclusion of such sites on our website does not imply our endorsement of such sites.
We do not warrant that our website would be free from computer viruses and we accept no liabilities or responsibilities for any loss or damage that may arise as a result.

Bad Weather Policy

If Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above, or a Red/Black Rainstorm Warning is issued three hours before the tour starts, the tour will be canceled.
If Typhoon Signal No. 8 or a Red/Black Rainstorm Warning is issued during the tour, the tour will be canceled immediately.
If the tour needs to be canceled due to other adverse weather conditions, we will contact you by phone at least 2.5 hours before the tour. (If there is no response, we will follow up with an SMS or email.)
If the tour is canceled due to adverse weather on the day, we will work with you to reschedule a new date within six months from the original tour date.

Tour Reminder

Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes for the walk. Bring an umbrella, a bottle of water and some snacks just in case.
Each participant may bring their own 3.5mm plug headphone if they have one for the wireless transmitter/receiver system which will be used on the tour. The guide will provide them a new one otherwise, but for hygienic and environmental reasons participants are strongly suggested to bring their own earphones if possible.
There is a possibility that our organization may take photographs or videos during the guided tour, and these captured images or footage may be used for future promotion and publicity. If participants do not agree with this arrangement, please inform the tour guide or organizer during registration and on the day of the event.

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