The best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend (May 15-17)

Event organiser Collective Minds announced on Instagram that Indonesian-Australian artist Baby J will be touring Asia throughout May and making a stop in Hong Kong. On May 15, Pier 1929 will transform into a pulsating hub, where the internationally renowned DJ will spin Jersey club, baile funk, and hip-hop beats throughout the night. Further details about supporting acts throughout the night have yet to be announced, but expect to be on your feet all night long as you groove to high-energy beats and nasty baselines. 

The Affordable Art Fair is back once again, this time bringing 106 galleries from all around the world under one roof. Visit large-scale installations and experimental pieces that allow you to become part of the artworks, see Hong Kong through a fresh lens at a special photography feature, examine the creativity of five rising local artists in a dedicated programme, participate in workshops to bring home your own art pieces, and much more.

This creative festival is all about making art accessible to everyone, and with pieces selling for as low as $1,000, it’s more than possible to start or grow your own art collection and even discover the next artistic star before they make it in the big time. Tickets run from $175 for general admission to $340 for a four-day pass, with concessions available – purchase yours now on Eventbrite or Ticketflap. Grab advanced tickets before prices increase after May 10!

Clear some space on your shelves as Swire Properties’ Books for Love @ $10 returns to Taikoo Place for its 14th edition. Running across two weekends from May 7, this massive charity sale features over 320,000 pre-loved titles all priced at just $10 each. Beyond the rows of books, visitors can dive into a programme of family-friendly activities, including the Wonderland Walk parade, interactive storytelling sessions, and traditional craft workshops.

All proceeds from the event benefit The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong and the Agency for Volunteer Service, making it the perfect opportunity for local bookworms to hunt for treasures while supporting a worthy cause.

It’s been about 20 years since Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs graced our screens, but the sequel movie is finally about to be released! In honour of this modern classic, there’s a pop-up installation in Pacific Place dedicated to everything Runway. Field calls from Miranda at the magazine’s reception desk, take over Miranda’s own office, have your own fashion change montage at the New York subway entrance, and more.

Best of all, you can hop into a photobooth disguised as an elevator, snap a series of model-worthy poses, and have your favourite printed out into a magazine cover. The pop-up is free to enter and explore, while you can access the elevator by signing up to become an above member and spending $300 on the same day within the mall.

Hong Kong bakery and confectionery manufacturer Garden is approaching its 100th anniversary at the end of this year, and they’ve launched a pop-up exhibition and store, adorably designed like a tour through its factory. From refreshed versions of nostalgic snacks and culinary experiences to collaborations with local streetwear brands, the ‘Every Bites Tells a Story’ event is a love letter to the iconic food brand that has literally fed and nurtured generations of Hongkongers.

Find clothing and accessories created with Grocery and Aim Higher Club featuring retro patterns and motifs from Garden’s archives from the 50s to 80s; exclusive chocolate finger snacks and Cantonese dishes reimagined into savoury buns; memorabilia from the confectioner’s century-old history; and a series of cute plushie keychains shaped like Garden’s bestsellers. This is a trip down memory lane that will make you hungry.

To mark 85 years since Bruce Lee’s return to Hong Kong, this special exhibition brings the martial arts icon back to the very site of his childhood home in Jordan. The centrepiece of the showcase is ‘Be Like Water’, a new 1:1 scale permanent sculpture that captures Lee in a moment of philosophical stillness. Visitors can explore a dedicated gallery space, featuring a curated treasure trove of rare posters and previously unreleased private photographs that offer an intimate glimpse into his early life in Kowloon. Located at the Prudential Centre – the former site where Lee lived as a boy – this exhibition is free to enter and will remain open to the public daily until May 31.

For the first time, HKU’s University Museum and Art Gallery is pairing Swiss and Chinese paper cuttings together, setting up side by side to highlight what makes each tradition so special. The Swiss works, drawn from the collection of Interlaken collectors Elsbeth and Niklaus Wyss, mostly use black paper to capture slices of Alpine life with fine, eye-catching details. On the Chinese side, red paper is often used to depict different themes and subjects like tigers, peacocks, opera masks, or pagodas – each carrying deep symbolic meanings. Both approaches are all about storytelling, pulling from Swiss village scenes or Chinese folklore to offer the audience a chance to appreciate how two cultures turn the same craft into something uniquely their own.

Celebrate the season with a big splash at Water World Ocean Park’s First Hon Summer event, running from May 16 to June 30. Visitors are invited to don specially designed graduation gowns for unique snaps at the Reef Lobby or capture a swimsuit graduation shot against the colourful backdrop of the famous Rainbow Rush slide. On May 16 and 17, those who bring their own gowns and tag the park on Instagram can even snag a free gift! Between photo sessions, visitors can also catch pro instructors shredding the waves at Surf Striker every weekend throughout May and June, or head to the Jumbo Game Zone to challenge friends to super-sized versions of Jenga, Chess, Connect Four, and Tetris.

For details on various reopening deals and ticket offers, head over to the official Water World website for more.

M+ in West Kowloon Cultural District is honouring the late Ryuichi Sakamoto with a museum-wide programme from now until July. Comprising a site-specific installation, moving image works, a listening experience, and film, ‘Seeing Sound, Hearing Time’ celebrates the enduring legacy of the Japanese composer, producer, and artist.

‘Async–Immersion’ presents a three-dimensional, audio-visual representation of Sakamoto’s personal album, combining sonic experience with optical immersion. Nam June Paik’s ‘All Star Video’ explores Sakamoto’s influences and creative encounters, while ‘Vinyl Sessions with Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto’ allows visitors to engage with his compositions, alongside reflections on his work from three Hong Kong-based sound artists. Additionally, ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Music in Film’ will screen two films to allow for an intimate look into Sakamoto’s life, profound artistry, and innovative creative process.

This spring, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is hosting a two-part exhibition that combines interactive multimedia with a collection of rare historical treasures. The first section, Meet Mona Lisa, uses an immersive multimedia installation to follow the five-hundred-year journey of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, featuring a personal narration from the lady herself. The second half, Portraying the Renaissance, showcases over 100 precious works from leading European institutions, including four of da Vinci’s original manuscripts on the human body and faces exhibited in Hong Kong for the first time.

The exhibition runs from May 1 to July 27, 2026, and is completely free to enter from 10am to 6pm on weekdays (except Tuesdays) and until 7pm on weekends and public holidays.

Step into a world where imperial grandeur meets Impressionist beauty at ‘Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West, a massive new showcase at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Bringing together more than 100 sets of rare artefacts and paintings from the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Palace of Versailles, the exhibition explores how nature has been shaped and celebrated by kings, scholars, and artists alike.

The real highlight is the arrival of Claude Monet’s iconic Water Lilies (1906) and Water Lily Pond (1900), which are on loan from Chicago for a limited time. Alongside works by masters like Zhang Daqian and Wen Zhengming, visitors can wander through an immersive display and interact with virtual wine cups in a digital recreation of the famous Orchid Pavilion Gathering. Running until July 29 at HKMoA’s Special Gallery, the exhibition is completely free to enter – so there’s really no excuse not to visit.

Taiwanese lifestyle platform Everyday Object is making its overseas debut in Hong Kong with a curated three-month pop-up at East Hong Kong. Running from now to July 31, the residency showcases a collection of over 60 independent brands from both Taipei and Hong Kong, with each month dedicated to a specific theme: travel in May, office life in June, and the home in July. Visitors can browse an array of niche design goods, ranging from vegan skincare to handcrafted accessories and even yuenyeung-flavoured canned cheesecakes.

There’ll also be a limited-time coffee takeover by Taichung-based Sumugaga Coffee Roasters, where you can download the Scannow app to get a five percent discount on a special Taichung pourover and unlock a digital map of the city’s best-kept creative secrets. Whether you are hunting for rare Taiwanese accessories or simply looking for a fresh shot of caffeine and inspiration, this three-month pop-up has everything under one roof.

Curated by architectural historian Charles Lai and product designer Kay Chan Wan Ki, this exhibition brings together architects, carpenters, filmmakers, and chefs to examine Hong Kong’s favourite diners from every angle. Highlights include the preserved neon sign of Wan Chai’s Sun Fung Kee, the original door of Sheung Wan’s demolished Hoi On Cafe, and a full-scale beverage station where you can suit up and try assembling orders at cha chaan teng speed.

The exhibition is now on view at Airside’s Gate33 Gallery and runs until July 31. Admission is free until March 31, after which tickets cost $20 (except for kids aged three and under).

M+ and Leeum Museum of Art are teaming up to present a comprehensive exhibition featuring the groundbreaking works of influential South Korean contemporary artist Lee Bul. More than 200 pieces will be shown, spanning the artist’s career from the late 1990s to the present to trace the evolution of Lee’s artistic approach. Split into three sections, ‘Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now’ interrogates ideas of utopian and dystopian existence, the relationship between body and technology, and Lee’s creative process.

M+ Cinema will also screen a number of Lee’s performance works during the exhibition period. ‘Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now’ opens on March 14 and will be commemorated with a talk at the Grand Stair; Lee herself will be present to speak about her artistic vision.

Tucked inside Oi! Glassie, Hong Kong artist Chan Wai‑lap presents Jeremy’s Bathhouse – a dreamy, ceramic bathhouse as an extension of his ongoing ‘Swimming’ series. Inspired by love, connection, different bathing cultures, and the 2016 viral story of Jeremy, the left-spiral snail, the exhibition features a heart-shaped pool installation made with more than 1,200 handcrafted ceramic tiles designed by Chan.

Visitors will also find a set of shower cubicles lined with casts of real soap bars that Chan has collected from bathhouses around the world, and every so often, timed release of mist drifts through, softening the edges and shifting the whole atmosphere from crisp clarity to a dreamy haze.

In a landmark collaboration between the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) of Egypt, 250 treasures and relics from the land of the Pharaohs will be on display in Hong Kong for nine and a half months. Named ‘Ancient Egypt Unveiled’, this exhibition is the largest, most comprehensive, and longest-running display of ancient Egyptian artefacts Hong Kong has ever seen, displaying archaeological finds loaned straight from Egypt, many of which are being shown outside of their home country for the very first time.

Some of our favourite highlights include a set of canopic jars used to store internal organs in the mummification and burial process; statues of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut and Rameses II; painted coffins of wood and stone; a Book of the Dead papyrus scroll; and even an ancient Egyptian toilet seat.

Swing by the gift shop to find a wide range of Egypt-related merch, including an adorable series of blind box plushies created by HKPM which depict pharaohs, canopic jars, mummies, and more.

The golden age of Hong Kong cinema saw the production of blockbuster titles like A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Conman (1998), and Infernal Affairs (2002). Packed with action, suspense, and good ol’ “nonsense” humour, these iconic crime films not only offer gripping stories but also capture the essence of life in 70s and 80s Hong Kong. Now, cinephiles can relive their favourite scenes from these classics at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station. ‘Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey’ delves into local cop film classics through reconstructed sets, collectibles, original scripts, and much more. 

This nostalgic exhibition is now open at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, 627 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei. Tickets are priced at $30 per person, with concessionary tickets available at $10 per person. Children aged six or below can enter the exhibition for free. Make sure to book your tickets online at cultural.cityline.com, as there will not be tickets onsite. Find out more at fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk. 

See what life was like in the legendary Kowloon Walled City and step inside this immersive 'real life' movie set exhibition! Featuring meticulously recreated shops and scenes from the award-winning film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, the exhibition will take you back into the 1980s inside the famous Walled City to explore everything from the local cafe to the neighbourhood dental clinic.

Check out our guide for everything you need to know about the exhibition, from dates and opening hours to highlights not to be missed.

Focusing on non-solid media, multi-disciplinary artist Zheng Jing’s first solo show in Hong Kong uses water, sound, air, and light to transform several warehouses into a surreal world that invites viewers to wander through.

In Warehouse 1, visitors will feel as though they are submerged beneath Victoria Harbour, with mirrored installations that let you look up at wave movements through the manipulation of light. There’s also a giant vessel featuring a video projection of a human figure endlessly diving, plus a suspended cube from which light beams are projected outward in multiple directions. Stepping out onto the lawn, visitors will also discover five golden sculptures modelled after Taihu stones, placed in an elemental cycle of ‘breathing’ to allow energy and spirits to flow through continuously.

Ever since Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) launched its pet-friendly bus services, the response has been overwhelmingly positive in Hong Kong’s pet owners. KMB has since gamely added new routes to service more people, with stops now available in neighbourhoods like To Kwa Wan, Sham Tseng, Stanley, and more. Click below to find out more about week day pet bus routes, additional weekend buses, monthly tickets, and August-exclusive adventure buses!

The Hong Kong Space Museum has launched a new 3D dome show catered to little Einsteins and space-loving adults. ‘The Great Solar System Adventure 3D’ replaces their previous programme exploring the Arctic wilderness with an immersive, interstellar voyage.

The show will run until October 14, 2026, with screening times at 2pm and 6.30pm on weekdays, 12.30pm and 5pm on weekends and public holidays at the Space Theatre. Tickets are priced from $15 to $40 per person.

‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Art Plaza Project at the Hong Kong Palace Museum’ is a multimedia initiative that takes traditional Chinese garden aesthetics as the main inspiration. The project features large installations by five local artists and an architect, each creative bringing a unique contemporary interpretation of traditional zen garden elements to the showcase, where iconic pavilions, flowing water, and aesthetic rock formations are reimagined with materials found in our bustling city, such as bamboo, metal, and fabric. 

This exhibition will be open to the public until November 2, 2026 at the Museum Plaza at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Entry is free of charge during the museum’s opening hours.