HSBC is set to launch “HSBC 160th Anniversary exhibition: From stories long ago to visions of tomorrow” at Tai Kwun on Friday, featuring six interactive zones including reception, vault, and the money aquarium to celebrate the bank giant's rich history.
Upon entering, a staff member dressed in an iconic 1980s receptionist’s uniform welcomes all visitors in the reception. The striped summer ensemble, with its blend of fashion-forward elegance and practicality, instantly transported guests back to that bustling era.
The second section, “A vault of legacy” zone, draws inspiration from the 50-tonne vault located in the HSBC Main Building, which contains 23,984 safe boxes. Inside the reimagined vault door, a treasure trove of rare artefacts - including the bank’s original share certificate from 1865, early customer account ledgers, and historic passbooks is displayed.
The reimagined vault door. HSBC
Other highlights are “The Money Aquarium” and "Banking Through the Ages" zones, showing the evolution of currency and counters.
Using a 360-degree immersive scene of origami sea creatures, folded from HSBC banknotes, the money aquarium showcases the specific information and styles of the notes at different times.
'The Money Aquarium' zone. HSBC
Meanwhile, three generations of HSBC counters are meticulously recreated in the “Banking Through the Ages” zone, complemented with displays like bank ledgers, passbook printers, and early desktop terminals.
In the grand finale, visitors will encounter a majestic four-metre-tall lion sculpture inspired by HSBC’s iconic bronze lions. Here, they are invited to upload their photos to an interactive projection installation, leaving their own mark on the bank’s living history.
The exhibition will run from October 17 to November 7 with free admission.
