Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Hall

Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Hall

The Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Hall is a Hong Kong-themed exhibition venue dedicated to the history of maritime firefighting in the city. It is located in Quarry Bay Park on Hong Kong Island's Eastern District. The exhibition hall features the actual fireboat Alexander Grantham, which was built in Hong Kong in 1953 and retired in 2002. It officially opened to the public on September 29, 2007. The Alexander Grantham fireboat is the first historic vessel managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in Hong Kong and also the largest exhibit in the collection of Hong Kong museums.

The Alexander Grantham served as the Hong Kong Fire Services Department’s primary firefighting vessel. It was launched from the Whampoa Dock on June 30, 1953, at a cost of HK$4 million, and was named after then-Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Alexander Grantham. Before its retirement in 2002, it was the largest fireboat in Asia. The vessel is 38.9 meters long, 8.8 meters wide, and 15 meters high, with a displacement of 503 tons and a top speed of 12.5 knots. It is equipped with multiple mid-range firefighting hoses, fire pumps, water cannons, and salvage equipment, capable of handling high-rise fires on large ocean-going vessels and serving as a command vessel for major maritime incidents.

Given its historical significance, the Hong Kong Museum of History designated the Alexander Grantham as part of its collection and constructed the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Hall to properly house and display the vessel to the public. In addition, the exhibition hall showcases unique firefighting artifacts and supplements them with multimedia presentations to enhance public understanding of Hong Kong’s maritime rescue efforts.

Sir Alexander Grantham

Must-visit reason: The largest exhibit in the collection of Hong Kong museums