Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition

Located just near the Senado Square, the Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition exhibits and explains how pawnshops were run and operated in the early times.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

The exhibition also proves that even in the past, before the westerners started to trade with China, the Chinese culture of business and trading was very prominent. Even before the establishment of the Republic of China, many pawnshops were already in operation.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

The Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition illustrates the old history of pawnshops in Macau and the role it plays in the growing economy of Macau.

The "Tak Seng On" or "The Virtue and Success Pawnshop" is the exhibited pawnshop in the Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

Tak Seng On was established in 1917 and it initially belonged to Mr. Kou Ho Ning who was a wealthy Macau merchant at that time.

The pawnshops in Macau and in Mainland China would be very similar in terms of architectural design and layout, interior decorations and equipment that can be found inside the establishment.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

Its fun discovering a pawnshop-turned-museum in the middle of one of the busiest places in Macau. Today, pawnshops like this have often been referred to as part of history already and not much value is given to them.

However, the Cultural Institute of Macau S.A.R. (Special Administrative Region) Government, as part of its mission to preserve the cultural heritage of Macau, has restored "Tak Seng On" to its original condition.

Visiting this historical place, or even by just stopping by accidentally, both locals and tourists can have a glimpse, an idea, of the glory days of the pawn business in Macau.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

The pawn business in Macau can be traced back to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) by the end of which there were already many pawnshops in operation.

On December 26, 1903, the local administration gazetted a Rule Governing Pawnshops in the City of Macau, which divided operations into the three traditional categories of Tong, On (of which Tak Seng On is an example) and Ngat and stipulated rules to protect the interests of both shop owners and clients.

The pawnshop business developed during the early years of the Republic's establishment but it flourished during the time of the Sino-Japanese War.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

Part of the business also came from the massive influx of refugees from conflicts on the mainland, combined with residents of Hong Kong fleeing the Japanese invasion of the British colony.

In just a few years, Macau's population grew from 150,000 to 500,000 resulting in severe shortages across the board. As prices for all basic commodities soared, the poor and the refugees were left with no option other than to pawn their belongings to make ends meet.

In the 1970s and 80s, Macau's economy enjoyed a boom and social conditions improved. The emergence of a strong banking sector and modern pawnshops affected the role of the traditional pawnshops. Over recent years, many of them, including "Tak Seng On", have closed their doors.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

The Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition is a very interesting place, especially for a tourist. You can learn the traditional way of how the Chinese people, not just those in Macau, do business in pawnshops.

Also, it's very interesting because all the safes and the shelves that were used in the past to store the pawned items are exhibited in the museum, as well as the documents and equipments of the old pawnshop.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

Furthermore, after you go to the Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition, you can go upstairs to the "Cultural Club," and there, you'll experience the artistic side of the Chinese culture.

For just $5 Macau dollars, you can enjoy yourself in a rich and colorful history of the pawnshop business and at the same time, indulge in the artistic cultural values that China has to offer.

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum

The Heritage Exhibition of a Traditional Pawnshop doesn't only show the way the Chinese did business in the past, it also shows how important the aspect of business is to their lives.

TOP of Traditional Pawnshop Exhibition

traditional pawnshop exhibition museum