Hong Kong Museums 香港
Find information on museums in Hong Kong. One legacy of the British colonial period is the large number of museums and galleries in Hong Kong. Over time new, world-class museums such as M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum have also opened in the city.
History, art, sciences, medicine - Hong Kong's museums are both varied and educational, making special efforts to tie in with school's curricula.
Find a listing of museums in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Museum of Art
The Hong Kong Museum of Art was established in 1962 and located at its present site since 1991.
The Hong Kong Museum of Art has some excellent collections of Chinese watercolors, historical paintings, ceramics, Chinese crafts, furniture, jade, bronze, lacquer, glass and calligraphy art works.
The over 15,000 pieces displayed on six floors are labeled in both Chinese and English. (Currently closed for renovation)
Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences charts the history of medical science in Hong Kong with an emphasis on the comparison of western and traditional Chinese medicine.
Scale models, mannequins, medical instruments and X-rays help to explain such medical issues once encountered in Hong Kong as plague-infected rats and bound-feet.
There are also exhibits of acupuncture needles, Chinese herbs and creatures used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum
The Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum (香港懲教博物館) in Stanley outside Stanley Prison traces the history of the prison service in Hong Kong as it moved from a punishment to a rehabilitation model.
Exhibits include a mock gallows, instruments of corporal punishment, two replica cells, information on Vietnamese boat people who fled to Hong Kong in the 1970's and 80's and staff and prisoners' uniforms.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm; closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Hong Kong Maritime Museum
The Hong Kong Maritime Museum (香港海事博物館) is located at Central Pier 8, once a pier for the Star Ferry, in Central.
The museum is a treasure house of exhibits dedicated to Hong Kong's historical, cultural and economic relationship with the sea.
It includes galleries dedicated to traditional maritime China, the colonial China Trade, Hong Kong's ships and shipyards, sea bandits (including a Qing dynasty scroll depicting the defeat of pirates off Hong Kong), the voyage of the Keying to the USA and Britain in the 19th century, creating Victoria Harbour and the making of a modern port.
There are collections of ceramics, model ships, nautical instruments, paintings and photography. The museum is open Monday to Friday 9.30 am - 5.30 pm and 10 am - 7 pm (Saturday, Sunday and public holidays).
Hong Kong Police Museum
Up on The Peak, the Hong Kong Police Museum (警隊博物館) is dedicated to the Hong Kong Police Department and its fight against crime.
The museum has around 1,200 exhibits in several galleries: an orientation gallery with exhibits (documents, equipment, firearms, photographs and police uniforms) on the history of the Hong Kong Police, a narcotics and Triad gallery focused on the drugs' trade, once rife in Hong Kong and run by the Triads, the secretive Chinese crime syndicates, a Hong Kong Police Then & Now gallery and a current exhibition gallery.
The Police Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 am-5 pm and on Tuesday from 2 pm-5 pm.
Hong Kong Science Museum
Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui is a short walk east from Nathan Road and adjacent to the Hong Kong Museum of History.
Established in 1990, the museum is a fun day out for knowledge-hungry children and their parents with over 500 exhibits, 70% of which are hands-on and interactive.
The four-storey building has 16 separate gallery spaces introducing science and technology themes such as electricity, energy, computers, communication, food, light, magnetism, mathematics, motion, sound and transportation.
Hong Kong Space Museum
Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSPM) on Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is a short walk from the Star Ferry and adjacent to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Opened in 1980, the Hong Kong Space Museum comprises two wings - east and west. The east wing contains the planetarium, the Hall of Space Science on the ground floor and the Stanley Ho Space Theatre with an OMNIMAX film projector.
The west wing has the Hall of Astronomy on the first floor and the museum gift shop. (Currently partially closed for renovation)
Sun Yat Sen Museum
Sun Yat Sen Museum details the life of Sun Yat Sen in Hong Kong. Chinese nationalist and revolutionary Sun Yat-sen (1870-1925) agitated to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and declare a Chinese republic.
Attending high school and university in Hong Kong, Sun Yat-sen graduated in medicine from the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese (which later became The University of Hong Kong).
Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence is located near Shau Kei Wan on the northeastern coast of Hong Kong Island. It is the site of a former British fort, the Redoubt, built in 1887 which overlooks the strategic Lei Yue Mun channel.
The museum has exhibits on the defence of the channel from the Ming period to the present day including the Opium Wars and the Japanese invasion in the 1940s.
On display in the former gun emplacements of the Redoubt are various artillery pieces, uniforms, weapons and other equipment of Chinese, British and Japanese troops, documents, photographs, and a Brennan Torpedo. A memorial to British soldiers stands within the grounds.
The museum offers a comprehensive exploration of Hong Kong's coastal defense history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It showcases the military strategies, equipment, and technologies employed to protect the city's coastline. The fort itself played a significant role during the Battle of Hong Kong in World War II, and the museum highlights this important chapter of Hong Kong's history.
The museum features a range of informative and interactive exhibitions spread across its four main galleries. Visitors can explore various artifacts, displays, dioramas, multimedia presentations, and historical photographs. The exhibits cover topics such as the development of coastal defense in Hong Kong, the Battle of Hong Kong, the military lifestyle of soldiers, and the impact of war on civilians.
In addition to the indoor exhibits, the museum boasts several outdoor displays that provide a hands-on experience. Visitors can see various cannons, military vehicles, and artillery pieces used in the defense of Hong Kong during the Japanese invasion. The outdoor area also offers panoramic views of the surrounding coastline and the picturesque Lei Yue Mun Channel.
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence organizes a range of special events, workshops, and educational programs throughout the year. These activities aim to engage visitors of all ages and provide a deeper understanding of the historical significance of coastal defense in Hong Kong. Examples of events include guided tours, reenactments, lectures, and thematic exhibitions.
In addition, the museum has a gift shop, a café, and a resource center where visitors can delve deeper into Hong Kong's coastal defense history through books, publications, and research materials. The café provides a convenient place to relax and enjoy refreshments while taking in the scenic surroundings.
The nearest MTR station is Shau Kei Wan Station.
Hong Kong Museum of History
Hong Kong Museum of History adjacent to the Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui has a vast collection dedicated to the history and culture on the city.
The Hong Kong Story begins in prehistoric times and ends with the hand over in 1997. On display are exhibits ranging from fossils, to photographs and posters from early Hong Kong, items from the Japanese occupation to classical Chinese ceramics. There are bronzes, coins, clothing, documents, folding screens, glassware, metalwork and paintings. The collection is displayed using traditional glass cases as well as more contemporary interactive, hands-on displays.
In addition to the above, there are also recreations of various Hong Kong shops including an apothecary and several restaurants.
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, close to the Che Kung Temple, is housed in a modern reconstruction of a traditional ancestral hall.
The three story building holds temporary exhibitions from museums around the world as well as its impressive permanent collection.
There are lots of interactive, hands-on displays for kids in the Children's Discovery Gallery. Other permanent galleries include the T.T.Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art, displaying exhibits from the now closed Tsui Museum of Art, the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall, the Chao Shao-an Gallery and the Jin Yong Gallery. There is also a 350-seat theatre on site.
The Hong Kong Railway Museum, Sam Tung Uk Museum and Sheung Yiu Folk Museum are all branch museums.
The museum is a 5 minute walk from Che Kung Temple MTR station.
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui opened in 1989. The former Kowloon railway station on the waterfront site adjacent to the Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Museum of Art was somewhat controversially demolished to make way.
Facilities include a 2,000-seat Concert Hall, the 1,700-seat Grand Theatre, and the smaller Studio Theatre.
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre stages classical concerts, opera, ballet, as well as various other musical and dramatic performances.
The venue is home to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery
The free Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery is part of the Hong Kong Museum of History. It opened in 2007 and exhibits the Fireboat Alexander Grantham, once the flagship of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department's fireboat fleet. The locally-built vessel went into service in 1953 and served in Victoria Harbour and along the shores of Hong Kong. It is within walking distance of Quarry Bay MTR Station.
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
Flagstaff House was the former residence of the commander of British forces in Hong Kong and is the oldest colonial building still standing on its original site. The building, which dates from 1846, now houses the excellent Museum of Tea Ware, a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The museum displays fine Chinese porcelain tea ware including bowls, cups and teapots. The Museum of Tea Ware is free, closed on Tuesdays. The adjacent KS Lo Gallery displays Chinese pottery and stone seals from the collection of Vitasoy magnate KS Lo.
Liang Yi Museum
The privately-owned Liang Yi Museum on Hollywood Road near Cat Street and the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Science has a superb collection of antique Chinese furniture, mainly from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Other collections feature ladies' vanity cases, as well as both Japanese accoutrements and Western silver pieces. The museum also features regular temporary exhibitions on the themes of design and craftsmanship.
Hong Kong Central Library
Hong Kong Central Library in Causeway Bay is the largest public library in Hong Kong.
The library was established in 2001 and has the largest and most varied collection of books in Hong Kong. Indeed the Central Library has one fifth of entire collection of the Hong Kong Public Libraries System.
Presently there are 70 static libraries and 12 mobile libraries in the territory of Hong Kong.
M+ Museum
The new M+ Museum opened in Novermber, 2021 in the West Kowloon Cultural District and is dedicated to 20th and 21st century visual culture including, architecture, design and the moving image. The collection is housed in a building designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Farrells. M+ has four permanent collections including the Sigg Collection of over a 1,000 pieces donated by the Swiss collector, diplomat and businessman Uli Sigg. The other collections are the M+ Collection, the M+ Library Special Collection and the M+ Collection Archives.
M+ is a new museum of visual culture located in the West Kowloon Cultural District of Hong Kong. The museum is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting a wide range of visual art and design, including contemporary art, architecture, moving image, and more.
The museum's permanent collection features over 5,000 works of art and design from Hong Kong, China, and the rest of the world. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, installations, videos, and other media, as well as a significant collection of design objects and architectural models.
In addition to the permanent collection, M+ hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions, film screenings, and other cultural events throughout the year.
The museum also has a research center dedicated to the study of visual culture and the arts, as well as a conservation and storage facility for its collection.
The M+ building itself is a work of art, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the same architectural firm behind the Tate Modern in London and the National Stadium in Beijing. The building features a unique twisted form and is covered in a shimmering silver ceramic facade. M+ is one of the largest museums of its kind in the world and is a major cultural landmark in Hong Kong. It is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in contemporary art and design.
Hong Kong Racing Museum
One of Hong Kong's greatest passions, for better or worse, is horse racing. The main horse racing hubs and race courses are at Happy Valley and Shatin. Hundreds of millions, if not, billions of dollars are bet on race days. At the Happy Valley Race Course, the Hong Kong Racing Museum details the long history of horse racing in Hong Kong. This form of sporting entertainment has been around for nearly 150 years and the profits generated have been used to finance many social and construction projects in Hong Kong.
Address: 2/F, Happy Valley Stand, Happy Valley Racecourse
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 12 noon to 7 pm.
(Extended to 9 pm during night race meetings)
Souvenir Shop Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 12 noon to 8.30 pm; Race Day (Day race): 10.30 am to 8.30 pm; Race Day (Night race): 12 noon to 9 pm.
Tai Kwun
Tai Kwun is a cultural and heritage complex located in Central. It occupies the site of the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy, and Victoria Prison (see image above). The name "Tai Kwun" translates as "big station" in Cantonese, reflecting its historical significance as a law enforcement and judicial complex.
The revitalization project of Tai Kwun was completed in 2018 and transformed the historic buildings into a vibrant cultural hub. The restoration aimed to preserve the heritage value of the site while providing a space for arts, culture, and heritage appreciation.
The complex consists of 16 heritage buildings, including the Barrack Block, the Central Police Station, the former Victoria Prison, and the Magistracy. These buildings have been carefully restored and now house various cultural and artistic facilities. Tai Kwun offers a range of experiences for visitors, blending heritage, contemporary art, and lifestyle offerings.
Within Tai Kwun, you can find several art galleries, exhibition spaces, and performance venues. These showcase local and international contemporary art, as well as host exhibitions, installations, and cultural events. The complex also houses a range of dining options, from casual eateries to fine dining restaurants, offering a diverse culinary experience.
Tai Kwun is a good place to learn about Hong Kong's history. Visitors can explore the prison cells and pick up information on the city's legal system through guided tours and exhibitions. The site offers insights into the colonial past, the criminal justice system, and the social history of Hong Kong.
Apart from its cultural and heritage significance, Tai Kwun often serves as a venue for various community events, workshops, and educational programs. It aims to engage with the local community and promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of arts and culture.
Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a world-class museum of Chinese art and culture located in the West Kowloon Cultural District. It is a branch of the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing and was established through a collaboration between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Palace Museum.
The museum features a permanent collection of over 800 artifacts from the Palace Museum in Beijing, including paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, and other decorative art objects.
The collection spans over 8,000 years of Chinese history and culture, from the Neolithic period to the Qing Dynasty. The Hong Kong Palace Museum is housed in a new building designed by architect Rocco Yim, which blends traditional Chinese architectural elements with modern design concepts. For example, the shape of the building resembles a square-shaped Bronze Age cooking cauldron and certain features of Yim's design mirror the Palace Museum in Beijing, namely its red doors and golden-yellow rooftop.
The museum's galleries spread over three floors and include exhibition spaces, a lecture hall, a gift shop, and a restaurant. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events throughout the year. The museum also has a research center dedicated to the study of Chinese art and culture, as well as a conservation and storage facility for its collection.
Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre
The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is housed in a historic building called the Former Whitfield Barracks in Kowloon Park. This colonial-era structure was built in the late 19th century and served as a British military barracks.
It has been refurbished and transformed into a cultural hub that showcases Hong Kong's heritage.
The centre features several exhibition halls that present a wide array of displays and interactive exhibits. These exhibitions cover various aspects of Hong Kong's history, including its architecture, urban development, traditional crafts, customs, and cultural traditions. Visitors can explore thematic displays, historical artifacts, multimedia presentations, and informative panels that offer insights into the city's past.
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