It is believed to have been built during the Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25–220) for a Chinese officer attached to the local garrison.

The museum is located at 41 Tonkin Street, in Cheung Sha Wan, Sham Shui Po District, in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong.

The tomb is constructed of bricks (average size of 40×20×5 cm) and consists of four chambers set in the form of a cross.

The tomb's cross-shaped structure and the burial objects found inside show great similarities as compared to other Han tombs found in South China, serving proof that early Chinese civilisation had spread to Hong Kong 2,000 years ago.

The tomb was accidentally discovered in August 1955, when the Hong Kong Government was levelling a hill slope for the construction of resettlement buildings at Lei Cheng Uk Village (present-day Lei Cheng Uk Estate).

The tomb is sealed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment,[citation needed] and is protected by concrete, waterproofing layers, topsoil, and turf.

Moreover, a 1:1 replica of the inside of the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb is displayed at the Hong Kong Museum of History.

The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum is served by the Cheung Sha Wan station of the MTR (exit A3).

The features in this Chinese garden were built following the style of the Han dynasty and include pavilions, terraces, towers, fishponds and rock sculptures.