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Old photos of Hong Kong

11 photographs of Hong Kong, from 1900 to 2024 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.

Have an old photo of Hong Kong? A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show

The 11 photographs of Hong Kong on PlaceWas span 3 decades, from 1900 to 2024. 1 of them were taken before 1980; the other 10 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.2 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.11 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.

Pick a decade to filter the photos below and the map above. Open full map ↗

Places in Hong Kong through time

Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong — photos through time
Hong Kong 9 photos · 1900–2024
Hong Kong protests, Hong Kong — photos through time
Hong Kong protests 2 photos · 2014

Stories from Hong Kong

What contributors wrote about these photographs.

Umbrella Revolution, Hong Kong, 2014
Umbrella Revolution 2014 Crowds gather in Hong Kong during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, so named for the umbrellas protesters used to shield themselves from police pepper spray during the pro-democracy demonstrations that swept the city that…
Hong Kong protests, Hong Kong, 2014
Hong Kong protests 2014 Demonstrators fill a Hong Kong street on October 21, 2014, during the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement, which drew tens of thousands of protesters to occupy major thoroughfares of the city for over two months that autumn.
Hong Kong Umbrella Revolution -umbrellarevolution -umbrellamovement, Hong Kong, 2014
Hong Kong Umbrella Revolution -umbrellarevolution -umbrellamovement 2014 Protesters gather during the 2014 Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, a series of pro-democracy demonstrations named for the umbrellas used to shield participants from police pepper spray and sun alike.
Protesters at Mong Kok Pano, Hong Kong, 2014
Protesters at Mong Kok Pano 2014 A panoramic view of protesters in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong on September 29, 2014, near the outset of the Umbrella Movement demonstrations that would occupy the district for weeks afterward.
Hong Kong protests, Hong Kong, 2014
Hong Kong protests 2014 An early-morning scene from the Hong Kong protests of October 21, 2014, part of the sustained pro-democracy Umbrella Movement occupation that held several districts of the city that autumn.
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2019
Hong Kong 2019 A street-level scene in Hong Kong, the dense harbor city on China's southern coast known for its skyline of high-rises and its mix of Cantonese and colonial-era influences. Taken in 2019.
Kwun Tong Line Prince Edward to Ho Man Tin don't have train service situation in Mong Kok Station, Hong Kong, 2024
Kwun Tong Line Prince Edward to Ho Man Tin don't have train service situation in Mong Kok Station 2024 A closed platform at Mong Kok station on Hong Kong's MTR Kwun Tong Line is marked off with barrier tape, following a train service suspension between Prince Edward and Ho Man Tin stations on 28 July 2024.
Kwun Tong Line Prince Edward to Ho Man Tin don't have train service situation in Mong Kok Station, Hong Kong, 2024
Kwun Tong Line Prince Edward to Ho Man Tin don't have train service situation in Mong Kok Station 2024 Another view of Mong Kok Station on Hong Kong's MTR network, photographed in July 2024, during a service disruption affecting the Kwun Tong Line between Prince Edward and Ho Man Tin.
1900s · 1 photo
2010s · 6 photos
2020s · 4 photos