Hong Kong, 5 May 2026 – Hong Kong’s historic Haw Par Mansion is set to begin a new chapter as Villa Haw Par, transforming the 91-year-old Grade 1 historic building into a cultural hub designed to support exhibitions, performances, residencies and cross-cultural exchange.
Located on Tai Hang Road above Causeway Bay, Haw Par Mansion was built in 1935 by the Aw family, best known for the Tiger Balm ointment empire. The mansion and its front garden are the only surviving parts of what was once the broader Tiger Balm Garden estate, a once-famous attraction known for its distinctive architecture, folklore-inspired displays and public gardens.
The site is regarded as one of Hong Kong’s notable examples of Chinese Renaissance-style architecture, blending Chinese and Western design elements from the early 20th century. Its preservation is significant because much of the original Tiger Balm Garden was demolished for redevelopment, leaving the mansion as an important cultural and architectural reminder of Hong Kong’s layered urban history.
From 2019 to 2022, the restored mansion was used by a music school established by the Aw family. After the school closed, the government began looking for a new steward for the protected historic building, opening the way for its latest transformation into a public-facing cultural institution.
The new Villa Haw Par is expected to open to the public in late 2026 as a non-profit cultural venue. The project is being developed in partnership with Hong Kong’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Foundation for Art and Culture, co-founded by Arthur de Villepin. The venue is expected to host exhibitions, film screenings, workshops and artist residency programmes involving local, mainland Chinese and international artists and cultural organisations.
The revitalisation of Haw Par Mansion reflects Hong Kong’s broader effort to reuse historic buildings for contemporary cultural purposes. Instead of preserving the site only as a static heritage landmark, Villa Haw Par aims to activate the mansion through public programming, creative dialogue and cultural exchange.
This approach could help Hong Kong strengthen its position as a regional arts and culture destination. The city already has major cultural infrastructure such as the West Kowloon Cultural District, but smaller heritage venues like Villa Haw Par can offer a different kind of value: intimacy, memory, architectural character and stronger connection to local identity.
For visitors, the reopening could create a new cultural destination that connects Hong Kong’s commercial, colonial, Chinese and Southeast Asian histories. The Aw family’s Tiger Balm legacy spans multiple Asian cities, including Hong Kong and Singapore, giving the mansion a regional cultural dimension beyond its local heritage value.
The Ledger Asia Insights
Villa Haw Par’s transformation is important because it shows how heritage conservation can move beyond preservation into active public use. Hong Kong is not simply saving an old mansion; it is trying to turn a historically rich site into a living cultural platform.
For Asian investors and cultural-sector observers, the project highlights the economic value of adaptive reuse. Heritage buildings can become anchors for tourism, arts programming, education, creative industries and neighbourhood revitalisation when managed with the right balance of conservation and commercial sustainability.
The challenge will be execution. Villa Haw Par must protect the architectural integrity of the mansion while creating programming that is relevant enough to attract repeat visitors, artists, sponsors and cultural partners. A heritage site can attract curiosity once, but long-term success depends on consistent cultural activity.
The bigger message is that Asia’s cities are increasingly competing not only through skyscrapers and shopping districts, but also through cultural depth. Haw Par Mansion’s new chapter gives Hong Kong an opportunity to show that historic buildings can remain meaningful, productive and globally relevant in a modern urban economy.
