The Hong Kong Maritime Museum renovated Central Pier 8 in 2012. Until shortly before the museum bid for the use of the vacant spaces the building was used as one of the terminals for the Star Ferry for its service to Hung Hom. The east side of the pier had also been used for non-scheduled ferry services. In August 2007 the pier's unused spaces were under tender for restaurants and kiosks. The museum submitted a proposal for converting the pier for use as a museum. This proposal was submitted in early October 2007 and was accepted by government. The following three years saw an intensive period of consultation between HKMM and government during which the museum's initial design proposals by Dr Stephen Davies, the museum's Director at the time and the HKMM's original Murray House architects Richards Basmajian were refined. The final design of the museum premises is the outcome of the main consultants appointed for the project, P&T Architects and Engineers, with the gallery design and fit-out by Haley Sharpe Designs (UK) and Kingsmen.