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The 14 Must-Visit Museums in Hong Kong

The 14 Must-Visit Museums in Hong Kong 

| Last Updated: September 2023

One of the best ways to get to know Hong Kong is to learn more about its unique history through art. And of course, there are few better places to discover that than museums!

Today, we’ll go over the ones that we think offer the most interesting exhibits. From world-class art galleries to immersive exhibitions, there’s something for every museum-goer here, as you’ll see. 

1. Hong Kong Museum of Art 

Website: https://hk.art.museum/tc/web/ma/home.html 

Address: 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2721 0116

Operating hours:

  • Monday to Wednesday & Friday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Thursday – closed
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 7 PM 

Price: 

  • Standard – HK $10
  • Senior & disabled individuals – HK $5

If you want to immerse yourself in decades’ worth of art, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has a permanent collection of 18,800 artworks. They have exhibits from all over the globe, aside from local art displays.

From their permanent collection, we highly recommend checking out the Jingguanlou Collection especially if you’re a fan of Chinese paintings and calligraphy from the 20th century. 

Aside from their permanent collection, there are also exciting special exhibitions to catch. Since it changes from time to time, it’s best to check out their website to see what they currently have to offer. 

Pro tip:

If you want to make this the ultimate educational experience, we recommend going on a guided tour. There are several tours to choose from such as a guided tour for groups, guided tour for the public, and audio guided tour. 

You can easily download the application form for each tour on their website! 

2. Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Website: https://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk 

Address: 1 Man Lam Rd, Sha Tin, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2180 8188

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Friday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Tuesday – closed
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 7 PM 

Price: 

  • Standard – HK $20 (Thursday to Monday)
  • Standard – HK $10 (Wednesdays)
  • Groups of 20 or more people – HK $14 (Thursday to Monday)
  • Groups of 20 or more people – HK $7 (Wednesdays)
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and above) – HK $10 (Thursday to Monday)
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and above) – HK $5 (Wednesdays)

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s collection includes an array of exhibits about culture, history, and art. If you’re someone who has a deep love for all three, we think you’ll enjoy your time here. 

There are 5 permanent galleries in this museum all under the exhibition area. The place is massive, by the way – just under 7,500 square meters of space. 

Anyway, the permanent galleries are as follows: the Jin Yong Gallery,  the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall, the T.T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art, the Chao Shao-an Gallery and the Children’s Discovery Gallery 

Aside from that, there are also 6 galleries that usually hold different types of exhibits. Since this changes often, we suggest checking out their website to see what each of the galleries currently offer.  

Pro tip:

We suggest checking out the special programmes that they conduct. Examples of these programmes are From Baroque to Neoclassicism — the Artistic Styles of Versailles and Kings and Queens of the Palace of Versailles Talk Series — The Taste of Marie-Antoinette: Fashion, Jewels and Furniture. 

Most of the time, these programmes are free unless stated. 

3. Hong Kong Railway Museum

Website: https://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/en_US/web/hm/museums/railway.html 

Address: Hong Kong, Tai Po, Shung Tak St, 13號大埔墟

Contact details: +852 2653 3455

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Tuesday – closed 

Price: Free

The Hong Kong Railway Museum is a bit different. It has an interesting outdoor area that used to be the Tai Po Market Railway Station. 

As you might have guessed from that and its name, it offers a glimpse of iconic trains worldwide over the years. Life-size trains take up most of the exhibit.

Their permanent exhibition includes the exhibition gallery, old ticket office and signal cabin which you can find at the station building. Here, you can find train models, old photos, artifacts, and many more. 

Pro tip:

The museum is quite small so expect to spend only around 30 minutes to an hour here. 

4. Hong Kong Science Museum

Website: https://hk.science.museum/tc/web/scm/index.html 

Address: 2號 Science Museum Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2732 3232

Operating hours:

  • Monday to Wednesday, & Friday – 10 AM to 7 PM
  • Thursday – closed
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 9 PM 

Price:

  • Standard – HK $20
  • Children (under 4 years old), people with disabilities, senior (60 and above) – HK $10
  • Group – HK $14
  • Students – Free

Hong Kong Science Museum focuses on giving their visitors an interactive experience since 90% of their collection is made up of fun hands-on activities. Because of this, we find it more exciting to go here with company. 

We also highly recommend going here with family. They even have a gallery specifically for kids where they can play and learn more about science.

They also have a permanent exhibit hall that consists of several galleries like the Earth science gallery, biodiversity gallery, and many more.

Pro tip:

If you want to check out the energy machine that shows how energy can be converted, make sure to come here around 12:15 PM to 5:15 PM. 

5. Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum 

Website: https://www.hkbiodiversitymuseum.org 

Address: 香港薄扶林道香港大學 嘉道理生物科學大樓2樓 2S-18室, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday – closed
  • Wednesday – 2 PM to 8:45 PM
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10:30 AM to 5:15 PM

Considered the first museum in Hong Kong that focuses only on biodiversity, the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum offers access to 15,000 animal and plant specimens. This also makes it the biggest place of its kind in Hong Kong. 

Going here helped us learn more about the world around us and how fascinating it is how everything interacts in the natural world. We also got to see some endangered specimens!

Pro tip:

If you’re planning on visiting, do note that you should at least book a day in advance. You can purchase a ticket on their website. 

6. Sheung Yiu Folk Museum  

Website: https://www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/zh_TW/web/hm/museums/sheungyiufolk.html 

Address: Sai Kung, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2792 6365

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 10 AM to 5 PM
  • Tuesday – closed

Price: Free

Sheung Yiu Folk Museum is located inside the Sai Kung Country Park. In the 19th century, this used to be a Hakka village, but it has now been transformed into a 500-square-meter space that shows the life of its previous inhabitants. 

In case you haven’t heard what Hakka people are, they’re an indigenous tribe considered to be one of the greatest influences to Hong Kong’s culture and identity. 

A few examples of things you can find at this museum are drying terraces, dwellings, pigsties, cattle sheds, and a watchtower that’s 6 meters high. 

Pro tips:

If you want to see more of the website before deciding to go, there’s a virtual tour you can take on their website. We highly recommend it!

Sai Kung Country Park is a well-known spot because it’s part of the Hong Kong  UNESCO Global Park. Make sure to catch the geological wonders before you leave!

7. Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Art 

Website: https://www.taikwun.hk/en/ 

Address: 10 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 3559 2600

Operating hours:

  • Monday to Sunday – 8 AM to 11 PM 

Price: Free

We find it so easy to spend the whole day at the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Art because there’s a lot of things to explore. Annually, there are about 6 to 8 exhibitions being held in this space and performances you can catch. 

Plus, there are also shops and dining options! 

Anyway, an example of the types of exhibits shown here is Unfurl. Mixing elements from technology, art, and nature, this garden-like exhibition shows colorful and interactive displays that are made of air and fabric. 

Pro tip:

If you have plans to visit here, we suggest going without eating. They have pretty good restaurants in the centre, so you can eat here instead. 

8. Hong Kong Palace Museum 

Website: https://www.hkpm.org.hk/en/home 

Address: 8 Museum Drive West Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2200 0217

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Friday, & Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM 
  • Tuesday – closed
  • Saturday – 10 AM to 8 PM

Price: 

General admissions

  • Adult – HK $50
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and up), children (7 to 11 years old), and CSSA recipients – HK $25

Special exhibitions 

  • Adult – HK $120
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and up), children (7 to 11 years old), and CSSA recipients – HK $60

The Hong Kong Palace Museum houses 9,0000 exceptional artifacts. It also has special exhibitions on Chinese culture and arts. 

We saw their Radiance: Ancient Gold collection. It’s considered the most comprehensive exhibition of gold artifacts in Hong Kong in the past several years, so it has definitely been making noise in the local art scene. Check it out!

Pro tip:

The museum also hosts several events quite frequently such as jewelry-making workshops, painting masterclasses, and more. 

9. Hong Kong Space Museum 

Website: https://hk.space.museum/tc/web/spm/home.html 

Address: Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2721 0226

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Friday – 1 PM to 9 PM 
  • Tuesday – closed
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 9 PM

Price: 

Space Theatre

  • Standard – HK $24 (front stalls)
  • Standard – HK $32 (stalls)
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and up) – HK $12 (front stalls)
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and up) – HK $16 (stalls)

Exhibition Halls

  • Standard – HK $10
  • Students, people with disabilities, senior (60 and up) – HK $5
  • Group – HK $7

Located at Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong Science Museum is a unique dome structure that’s shaped like an egg. If you pass by this area, it’s certain to catch your attention. 

This is why it’s considered one of the iconic landmarks in Hong Kong. Even without going inside, you’ll instantly fall in love with the place! 

Inside, there are two wings you can explore. However, our favorite would be the Hall of Cosmos (east wing), which allows visitors to learn more about the solar system interactively. 

Pro tip:

There are also several special exhibitions from time to time that are also worth checking out. For example, there was a virtual reality exhibit that will transport you to the moon and Mars. Great for kids and space geeks!

10. Cup Noodles Museum

Website: https://www.cupnoodles-museum.com.hk 

Address: Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, Canton Rd, 33號, China Hong Kong City Block 2, 樓26-35號

Contact details: +852 3406 6600

Operating hours:

  • Monday & Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday – 11:15 AM to 7:15 PM
  • Wednesday – closed

Price: 

  • My cup noodles factory – HK $60 (30 minutes)
  • Demae Iccho Factory –  HK$120 (90 mins)
  • My Granola Factory –  HK$60 (30 mins) 

Sounds weird, but this is actually a great museum. It’s an interactive space that provides an educational experience about the founder of Nissin Foods, considered the pioneer of instant ramen. 

There are fun activities all around this museum like being able to make your own cup noodles, learn the process of making a demae iccho, and more. 

We especially had fun making our own cup noodles – you can choose from 4 soup bases and 12 toppings. Of course, we got to bring it with us too! 

Pro tip:

We find it better to go here during the weekday to avoid the crowds.

11. Hong Kong Museum of History

Website: https://hk.history.museum/tc/web/mh/index.html 

Address: 100 Chatham Rd S, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2724 9042

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday to Friday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Tuesday – closed
  • Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 7 PM

Price: Free

A lot of the Hong Kong Museum of History’s collection is made up of pieces that showcase the local cultural and historical heritage.

The permanent collection that they have is amazing. It provides an in-depth perspective of Hong Kong’s culture and history with a collection of around 140,000 items. 

Pro tip:

There are guided tours that you can join. If your preferred language is English, tours are only available in that language on Saturdays at 2 PM. 

Cantonese tours are at 3 PM daily. 

Lastly, tours in Putonghua are on Sundays at 2 PM. 

12. Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

Website: https://hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/tea-ware.html 

Address: 10號 Cotton Tree Dr, Central, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2869 0690

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday – Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM 
  • Tuesday – closed

Price: Free

As you can tell from the name, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware focuses on teaware created over the years. A lot of these are Yixing teapots. We found it fascinating that they were able to preserve these fragile artifacts! 

Aside from the unique collections inside the museum, it’s also worth noting that out of all the old structures in Hong Kong, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is the oldest one with a Western-style of architecture. 

Pro tip:

The museum also hosts programs and events about ceramic art and Chinese tea drinking culture that you might be interested in. Check out their website to see what’s available at the time of your visit. 

13. Hong Kong Film Archive

Website: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/en_US/web/hkfa/home.html 

Address: 50 Lei King Rd, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong

Contact details:  +852 2739 2139

Operating hours:

  • Monday, Wednesday – Sunday – 10 AM to 7 PM 
  • Tuesday – closed

Price: Free

For film buffs who are especially enamored of Hong Kong cinema, the Hong Kong Film Archive is a must-see. They have an extensive collection of anything related to Hong Kong films like actual costumes from iconic movies. 

Aside from their permanent exhibitions, they also offer screening programs of local films. To see what’s currently showing, give their website a visit. 

Pro tip:

Entrance to the museum is free; however, film screenings require a fee. 

14. M+

Website: https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/ 

Address: 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong

Contact details:

  • General inquiry – (852) 2200 0217 
  • Tickets – (852) 2200 0022

Operating hours:

  • Monday – closed
  • Tuesday to Thursday, Saturday & Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM
  • Friday – 10 AM to 10 PM 

Price: 

  • Standard – HK $120 
  • Students, children (7 to 11), senior (60 and above), person with disabilities, and CSSA recipients – HK $60

The M+ museum focuses more on art, architecture, and design from the 20th to the 21st century. Most of their collections are from Asian countries. Their collection is so rich that they hold one of the most extensive modern Chinese art pieces.  

Because of the building’s stunning architecture, it’s also considered one of the must-visit places in West Kowloon for architecture buffs. 

Pro tip:

After appreciating the exhibition, we suggest dropping by the Curator Creative Cafe at M+. One of the highlights to this cafe is their coffee which they can print creative designs on.

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