Murray House in Hong Kong is notable for being one of the oldest surviving public buildings in the city.
It was built in 1844, during the colonial rule of the British Empire. Murray House, which served as military barracks, was named after the British statesman Sir George Murray.
The building was designed by Lieutenant Collinson and engineer Aldrich. The appearance of the house combines features of two styles — local Chinese and Western, which is, in fact, quite typical of early colonial architecture in Hong Kong.
Later, when the city was under Japanese occupation, the police made Murray House their command center. After World War II, it served as offices for several government departments.
The decision to include Murray House in the list for subsequent restoration was made by the authorities in 1982. Murray House reopened only 17 years later. Today, the ground floor of the building houses the Maritime Museum and several restaurants with excellent views of the bay.
