The unveiling of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion was a much-anticipated highlight of the 1997 Handover, with global rulers and celebrities attending grandiose parties within the monstrous structure. In 1898, China agreed to a 99-year lease by the Brits of Hong Kong Island, surrounding islands and the New Territories of southern China. On July 1, 1997, the lease ended, the British governor and British Royal Navy left their posts and Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in a giant celebration, with the Convention Centre at its heart.
The original exhibition structure was built with a rather conventional design in 1988. The controversial expansion was designed to simulate a bird in flight, but some have called it a giant cockroach. Judge for yourself. Admire the facility from many vantage points: as a glittering point of reference as you look down from Victoria Peak, as an impressive glistening structure as you pass by on a harbor boat tour or as an amazing complex of meeting, exhibition and dining facilities as you explore the inside.
Outside, notice how the multi-curved roofline and large harbor-facing windows expertly incorporate Chinese feng shui concepts to create a distinctive aesthetic outline for the functional facility. Perhaps you’ll be visiting for one of the more than 1,200 events that the facility hosts annually, attended by more than 5,000,000 people. You’ll find a nearly 1-million-square-foot (100,000-square-meter) space of modern exhibition and meeting facilities to meet your needs.
Inside, go to the top floor to look out to bustling Victoria Harbour catch a glimpse of a Star Ferry commuter vessel or the red-sailed junk which provides dinner tours. Find dining facilities ranging from fast food to elegant restaurants.
Access to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is free, but individual events have entrance fees or restrictions. The centre is generally open for normal business hours with some restaurants open in the evening. Reach the centre in its north Wan Chai location easily by using Hong Kong’s public transit system.
