The best Hong Kong museums

Start with the 400 million years explored in the Hong Kong Museum of History, bursting with exhibits on prehistoric Hong Kong, the Opium Wars, the Japanese occupation and local folk culture. 

With a focus on local culture, from Cantonese opera to art, our favourite area at the Heritage Museum is the Bruce Lee exhibition – a must for martial arts fans and movie buffs.

It’s hard to miss this egg-shaped dome on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. The theatre dome makes up half of the Hong Kong Space Museum, along with the Hall of Space Science and the Hall of Astronomy. Visitors can enjoy documentary screenings under the curved ceiling of the planetarium. Head over to the main museum and discover plenty of action and gadgetry for space and science enthusiasts. Exhibitions halls are currently closed for renovation until the end of 2017. 

The oldest museum in Hong Kong, University Museum and Art Gallery was first established in 1953 and houses an impressive collection of Chinese antiquities, ceramics, traditional oil paintings and wood and jade carvings. Dating from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty, notable highlights at the museum include an early blue-and-white water pot and the world's largest collection of Nestorian plaques. Also don’t miss an increasing number historical photographs of Hong Kong and items of popular culture.

Establsihed in 1962 as part of City Hall, the Hong Kong Museum of Art now houses over 16,000 artworks in its pink tiled, multipurpose space. As well as boasting one of the largest art collections of Hong Kong art in the city, the museum is packed with Chinese paintings, calligraphy works and antiques. They also regularly host and present themed exhibitions, which attract reputable names from overseas, while also promoting the work of local artists. For a change from arts and culture, head right next door to the Hong Kong Space Museum for an adventure that's worlds away.  Note: The museum is closed for refurbishment until 2019.

This exciting institution hosts daily interactive science demos such as molecular gastronomy and robotics on top of its permanent exhibits. Highlights at the museum include the world of mirrors, a food science area and the 22-metre-high ‘energy machine’ that produces awesome audio-visual effects as it demonstrates various forms of energy. It’s electrifyingly fun. 

Dr Sun Yat-sen devoted his life to establishing the Republic of China. He had ties with Hong Kong, having received his education and devised plans here. The museum details his life and Hong Kong’s place in the founding of modern China. 

Not exactly a museum, but that’s how they refer to it themselves, so we’re throwing it in here. This Disney-themed 4D experience uses augmented reality technology, sounds, smells and special lighting effects to create an immersive experience. 

Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware Flagstaff House, located in Hong Kong Park, was built in the 1840s and was formerly the office and residence of the commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong. It became the Museum of Tea Ware in 1984 and houses exhibitions, demonstrations, tea gatherings and lectures that promote China’s tea drinking culture. 

The former fishing island that is Hong Kong has a wonderfully rich maritime history and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum showcases how the city has developed through seafaring and illustrates how China, Asia and the West have contributed to the development of boats, ships, maritime exploration and trade and naval warfare. The harbourfront museum puts on rotating exhibitions including nature conservation and the history of typhoons in Hong Kong on top of their permanent exhibitions in the galleries. Visitors can discover a wealth of interesting trivia and have fun with interactive displays. Grab a coffee at Cafe 8 while you’re there, which employs staff with learning disabilities in support The Nesbitt Centre.