PLACE GUIDE

Sir Robert Ho Tung Library 何东图书馆

He Dong Tushuguan

Sir Robert Ho Tung Library combines a historic residence with a newer library building and planted gardens.

The yellow arched garden frontage at Sir Robert Ho Tung Library in Macau, August 2013.
The yellow arched garden frontage at Sir Robert Ho Tung Library in Macau, August 2013. · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Proportionally resized and converted to WebP without cropping, retouching or changing the photographed subject.

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About Sir Robert Ho Tung Library

The front garden frames the older house, while mature trees and an old well preserve the garden character of the former retreat. In the newer reading area, large windows connect the working library with the greenery outside. This is a useful architectural stop that also functions as an ordinary public reading space.

The mansion was built in 1894, in the twentieth year of the Guangxu era (光绪), and originally belonged to Carolina Cunha (官也夫人). On 27 February 1918 it was purchased by the Hong Kong businessman Sir Robert Ho Tung (何东) as a villa. After his death in 1956, his heirs, following his will, donated the mansion to the Macau government along with 25,000 Hong Kong dollars to purchase Chinese-language books, establishing a public library to hold them; it opened to the public on 1 August 1958. The European-style building rises three storeys with a front arcade, in the form of a garden-style mansion, and was listed in 2005 as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its collection includes sixteen titles of Ming-dynasty, Jiajing-era (嘉靖) texts from Liu Chenggan's (刘承干) Jiaye Hall (嘉业堂) collection, Catholic documents, manuscripts from the Guang Fangyan Guan (广方言馆), and the manuscript draft of Weng Fanggang's 'Abstracts of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries' (翁方纲纂四库提要稿). The library was renovated in 1989, and a new building beside the back garden began service on 13 November 2006, joining the old and new buildings into a single reading space that combines a rare-book repository with modern library functions.

What to look for

  • The front garden frames the historic residential building.
  • Mature trees and the old well preserve features of the garden landscape.
  • The newer reading area opens visually towards the garden.

Background & history

The Sir Robert Ho Tung Library (Portuguese: Biblioteca Sir Robert Ho Tung; Chinese: 何東圖書館) is a public library in São Lourenço, Macau, China. A part of the Macao Public Library system, is located in St. Augustine's Square in the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The library is housed in a mansion that has good historical, cultural and architectural value. The old building has the head office of the library system, located on the ground floor, and the offices of the Macao ISBN Agency, located on the second floor.

Excerpt from Wikipedia: Sir Robert Ho Tung Library · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.

Location & getting there

Getting to Sir Robert Ho Tung Library

The library is at 3 Largo de Santo Agostinho. Enter from St Augustine’s Square and follow signs for public reading and garden areas.

General visit reminders

Choose the building, exhibition or part of the historic area you most want to see, then leave time to explore its setting. Check the venue’s current opening and reservation arrangements directly; a place appearing on the map does not mean every building or gallery is accessible on your travel date.

Combine your visit

Suggested order for the visit:

  1. Front garden

    View the historic house.

  2. Old-tree garden area

    Look at retained planting and stone features.

  3. New reading building

    Compare the newer library architecture.

This is an editorial sequence of named spaces or places. It does not imply a verified walking connection or promise opening, ticket availability or a journey time.

AI illustration: AI illustration: stone well; generic detail, not a photograph of this place.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（景观类型参考，非实拍） · 石井井沿细节 — A general visiting detail, not an exact view of this place.
Historic sites & architecture · 历史古迹／建筑 →

Find Sir Robert Ho Tung Library

何东图书馆 · 澳门半岛

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

St. Augustine's Church, Macau 圣奥斯定教堂

Less than 1 km away

St Augustine’s Church pairs a relatively simple neoclassical front with a more elaborate interior. Doric granite columns flank the main entrance, and a triangular pediment contains a statue niche. Inside, two rows of arches…

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St Joseph's Seminary and Church 圣若瑟修院及圣堂

Less than 1 km away

St Joseph’s Church is a baroque religious building reached through a forecourt and staircase beside the historic seminary. The contrast between the formal approach and the church facade is the clearest basis for a visit. The…

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Dom Pedro V Theatre 岗顶剧院

Less than 1 km away

Historic theatre near St Augustine’s Square. Interior access is closed for restoration, with completion estimated for early October 2026. Plan an exterior visit until reopening is confirmed.

View guide →

Sources & visit information

The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “Sir Robert Ho Tung Library” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1351143366.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, Macau/Peninsula · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 5237853.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "何東圖書館", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 94011089.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07