Sir Robert Ho Tung Library: A Courtyard for Readers

The building that now houses Sir Robert Ho Tung Library was constructed before 1894. It first belonged to Carolina Antónia da Cunha and passed through several hands before Sir Robert Ho Tung bought it in 1918. After his death, his descendants followed his will and gave the property to the Macao Government for a public library with a Chinese collection.

The library opened to the public on 1 August 1958. In 2006, a new facility with an ancient-book chamber and modern library services began operating. A former residence now serves readers in the historic quarter around St. Augustine’s Square.

After Ho Tung died in 1956, his descendants followed his will by giving the premises to the Macao Government for a public library devoted to Chinese books. The family also donated HK$25,000 to purchase books. The gift linked the building’s future to reading and made its private history part of a civic institution.

The library opened to the public on 1 August 1958. Its opening changed who could use the house and what its rooms were for. The building was retained by giving it a public purpose that could grow beyond the household that had occupied it.

In 2006, a new library facility became operational with an ancient-book chamber and modern library spaces. The addition allowed the institution to serve readers while providing dedicated conditions for older materials. The original residence and newer facilities represent different moments in the life of a public library.

The building belongs to Macao’s Historic Centre, but its story is intimate: a house acquired by Ho Tung, a bequest arranged after his death and a public opening that transformed private rooms into shared cultural space. At St. Augustine’s Square, the library gives the setting an active civic life.