AS Watson unveils museum to honour 185 years of heritage and innovation

In celebration of its 185th anniversary, AS Watson has launched a museum dedicated to the group’s heritage and its spirit of innovation.

Also known as the AS Watson Museum (屈臣氏集團歷史館), the museum is located on the ground floor of the group’s Hong Kong head office.

The museum has told AS Watson’s story from 1841 to today with various curated artefacts, historical materials, and interactive elements, celebrating how the group has grown from a pharmacy into an international health and beauty retailer.

The museum has chronicled AS Watson’s journey from 1841 to the present through a variety of curated artefacts, historical materials, and interactive elements, celebrating the group’s transformation from a pharmacy into an international health and beauty retailer.

For example, the exhibition features the classic AS Watson ledger, documenting the group’s daily operations from 1937 to 1938. This extensive book details over-the-counter transactions, prescriptions, pricing, and customer records, reflecting pharmacy practices of the time. It also highlights popular medicines and on-the-spot formulations, reflecting the evolution of pharmaceutical standards and Western medicine over the past century.

On one wall of the exhibition, visitors can see how Watson’s water packaging has evolved from the torpedo glass bottle introduced in the 1900s to the modern bottle launched in 2002. This reflects the group’s participation in each generation’s journey, from providing reliable distilled water after the plague outbreak in Hong Kong in the late 19th century to offering a variety of beverages today.

Meanwhile, various artifacts are being exhibited, including a 19th-century apothecary jar, a gilded glass apothecary jar, AS Watson’s ancient customer calendar from the 1800s, and plaques inscribed and endorsed by Qing dynasty officials.

The museum will soon offer special guided tour sessions for AS Watson MoneyBack members to register for, during which they will receive limited-edition commemorative gifts in honour of the 185th anniversary.

To celebrate its 185th anniversary, AS Watson has planned a series of celebratory activities this year, including the “180,000,000th member surprise event” held last weekend and the "185th anniversary special collection gift vouchers" set to launch at the end of February.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to AS Watson for more information. 

Don't miss: AS Watson to open 1,000 new stores in HK$3.8bn global push

Recently, AS Watson announced its plan to open 1,000 new stores this year as part of a HK$3.8 billion investment aimed at expanding its global footprint and strengthening its online and offline (O+O) retail capabilities.

The investment will fund new store openings and refurbishments, alongside upgrades to technology and supply chain infrastructure, as the group continues to scale its physical network while integrating digital channels more tightly into the customer experience.

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