Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences was established in 1996 and is housed in an Edwardian-style building originally constructed in 1906. The red-brick façade and Greek-style columns are powerful reminders of its rich historical legacy.

Within this historic setting, our firm was entrusted with the renovation of the Education Annex—a newly revitalized wing of the museum that stands as both a complement to, and an extension of, the main building. More than just an auxiliary room, the Annex serves as an exhibition gallery and multifunctional space, conceived as a satellite hub that expands the museum’s capacity to inspire and educate. By giving the Annex its own distinct identity, it is positioned to host interactive programs, adaptable exhibitions, and community-focused activities while maintaining a meaningful dialogue with the museum’s core displays.

Balancing Heritage and Modernity

A central design intent was to carefully balance the monumentality of the original structure—its robust brick walls, patterned flooring, and timber roof rafters—with new contemporary insertions. The spatial and material strategy emphasizes coexistence: rather than overpowering the heritage fabric, the new design highlights it, ensuring the Annex is both independent and harmoniously connected to its architectural parent.

To achieve this, we adopted a non-intrusive exhibition strategy featuring modular information panels suspended on ultra-thin stainless-steel wires and clips. These lightweight elements create a sense of airiness, maximizing visibility of the historic backdrop while avoiding visual obstruction. The flexible system allows panels and structures to be easily rearranged, supporting future curatorial needs without permanent alteration to the space.

The result is a space that feels simultaneously expansive and integrated—a contemporary annex that complements the historic museum core. Through this renovation, the Education Annex emerges as a distinctive yet connected wing of HKMMS: a place that demonstrates how sensitive design can enable historical institutions to evolve dynamically for future generations.