Cultural exploration is within easy access when you stay at Regent Hong Kong. In fact, some of the city’s top museums are within walking distance. Within a ten-minute walk, you can check out the latest exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Space Museum or take in a concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Alternatively, delve into the city’s rich past with a visit to the Hong Kong Museum of History and adjacent Science Museum, both of which are also close by. Nearby, a must-see is M+, the city’s new Museum of 20th and 21st century visual culture and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, where you can also experience traditional Chinese Opera at the Xiqu Centre. Here are our top six picks of museums worth visiting in our neighbourhood.
M+, 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon
A must-see in Hong Kong, the recently opened and highly anticipated M+ Museum in West Kowloon, Hong Kong’s new international art and culture hub, exhibits 20th and 21st Century visual culture, art, design, architecture and moving images.
Insider Tip: While in the neighbourhood, check out the Xiqu Centre (88 Austin Road) for Chinese Opera. Located at the gateway to the West Kowloon Cultural District, it has a stunning avant garde architectural design featuring a curvilinear silver façade inspired by the Chinese Moon Gate motif.
Hong Kong Palace Museum, 8 Museum Drive, West Kowloon
Located on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is the latest addition to Hong Kong’s dynamic arts and cultural scene. HKPM showcases over 900 priceless treasures from Beijing’s Palace Museum – many on display in Hong Kong for the first time, with others never been publicly exhibited before. This treasure trove of rare artefacts also presents special exhibitions featuring Chinese art and culture from other parts of the world, as it aspires to become a leading global cultural institution committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture.
Hong Kong Museum of Art 10 Salisbury Road, TST
HKMoA, the city’s first public art museum, which reopened in 2020 following a major renovation and expansion, houses a collection of over 17,000 art pieces, representing Hong Kong’s unique cultural legacy globally. By contrasting old and new, Chinese and Western, local and international art, all with a Hong Kong point of view, HKMoA offers a fresh perspective that make the art accessible and relevant.
Insider Tip: Check out the permanent Hong Kong exhibition which provides a unique perspective on the history of the city through various artistic mediums. The museum’s INK seafood café has a lovely outside seating area on the Avenue of Stars, perfect for reflecting on the art collection you’ve seen while taking in the amazing harbourview.
Hong Kong Space Museum 10 Salisbury Road, Located next to the hotel, this huge
golf ball-shaped astronomy and space science museum features the “Hall of the Cosmos” and “Hall of Space Exploration”. Almost two-thirds of the one hundred exhibits are interactive in design, ideal for engaging children. The East Wing, the planetarium’s core building, hosts the Space Theatre and the Hall of Space Science; the West Wing includes a Lecture Hall, the Hall of Astronomy and a gift shop. The museum also houses a large collection of meteorites. Take in one of the two planetarium shows which the museum produces annually or one of the foreign OMNIMAX productions it screens.
Insider Tip: Check out the extensive calendar of activities for both adults and children which includes stargazing sessions and lectures, films and demonstrations on astronomy.
Hong Kong History Museum 100 Chatham Road South, TST
While the museum’s permanent exhibition, “The Hong Kong Story,” which opened in 2001, is undergoing a comprehensive renovation, visitors can enjoy “Recreating a Classic: The Best Features of The Hong Kong Story” exhibition, with a series of exhibits spanning prehistoric Hong Kong, historical development, folk culture, early growth of the city, the modern metropolis and the return to China in 1997.
Insider Tip: The HK Science Museum is just next door, so why not check it out also?
Both museums offer exhibits and attractions for all ages.
Hong Kong Science Museum 2 Science Museum Drive, TST
With the aim of popularising science and supporting science education for the public and students, the Hong Kong Science Museum encourages individual exploration of the exhibits and the fun of discovery learning, with almost two-thirds of the 500 exhibits being interactive. The main attractions are the Energy Machine, which is the largest device of its kind in the world, and the DC-3 airplane, which is the first local airliner.
Insider Tip: If taking in both the Hong Kong History Museum and Science Museum in one day seems like ‘museum overload’, especially with the kids, start with the Science Museum, where children may find the interactive exhibitions more engaging.
