The Lei Yue Mun Fort was constructed by the British Government in 1887 to defend the eastern approach to Victoria Harbour. Put to use during the Japanese invasion of 1941 and under heavy bombardment, the fort was eventually taken with heavy casualties.

Originally, to house artifacts left by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Corps, a conversion of a disused barrack was considered. Eventually, a proposal to convert the Lei Yue Mun Fort into a file museum to house these historical artifacts was endorsed by the Urban Council in 1993.

To overcome the severe site constraints that would enable visitors to quickly access the high level of the headland, an entrance block with a lift tower and footbridge was conceived. To symbolize the home of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Corps, a tensile fabric structure was proposed to cover the open courtyard. This structure has become the identify of the museum and could be viewed from a distance both night and day. A viewing gallery was introduced on top of the casements and a refreshment block was incorporated with dynamic panoramic views of the harbour. The entrance to the redoubt has been reinstated to its original form incorporating a new footbridge over the defense ditch. The underground casements were converted into exhibition rooms, offices, retail shops and audio-visual facilities. The compliment the existing military features, all new structures was executed in fairfaced concrete. The disused fort has been transformed into a modern air-conditioned museum affording the visitor a glimpse of Hong Kong’s historical past.

To complete the historical trail, other features in the Lei Yue Mun headland included the Gun Power Factory, The Western and Central Batteries and the only known structure of its kind-the Brenan Torpedo Station. To arouse interest from visitors, bullet and explosion marks from the invasion were left intact on the existing structures.