In the present study, the local heat transfer coefficient over the surface of the tube row of a fin-and-tube heat exchanger is to measure. The test cases including the tube row arrangement of staggered and in-line, Reynolds number range of 2000 to 9000, and transverse tube pitch of S=2.0D, 2.5D and 2.8D, are studied and discussed. Experimental models of heat exchangers are constructed according to similarity principles. Complete distribution of local heat transfer coefficients are measured over the full surface of the tube row of a fin-and-tube heat exchanger by the transient heat transfer method with thermochromic liquid crystal used as the surface thermometer. And using micro video camera assembled in the experimental system to obtain the experimental image. Software, LCIA(Liquid Crystal Image Analysis), is used to obtain the temporal history of the surface temperature used to determined the local heat transfer coefficient. The results show that the heat transfer coefficient over the surface of the fin tube row increases with the Reynolds number. And the heat transfer coefficient for staggered cases is larger than that for in-line cases. The heat transfer coefficient on the surface of the tube row with transverse tube pitch S=2.0D is similar to the case with S=2.5D, and is larger than the case with S=2.8D. Therefore, there should exist an optimum geometry of the plate fin for a fin-and tube heat exchanger.