The best things to do in Hong Kong today

The pet cat of K-pop star G-Dragon takes over our city with the Zo&Friends pop-up in Times Square. Inspired by his Scottish fold named Princess Zoa, GD has spent two years creating and designing this original IP, and the results can’t be any cuter. A large Zoa sits in the middle of Times Square’s second-floor atrium, surrounded by flowers and the daisy A&ne. According to the brand, Zoa looks cynical and even somewhat gloomy (it has a literal cloud hanging over its eyes) but hides a soft, gentle nature. Walk through and snap pictures at photo spots, explore Zoa’s room, and see plenty of artworks, decals, BTS captures, and more.

The highly anticipated Chiikawa Days exhibition has finally taken over K11 Musea! Even after two separate rounds of ticket releases, entry was all sold out within half an hour, so the organisers have decided to extend the exhibition until August 31. Additional tickets for the extended dates of August 25 to 31 (excluding August 28) will go on sale at 5pm on August 1 via Klook, so get clicking! Expect to see multiple giant inflatable sculptures in the mall’s outdoor areas, including some adorable food-themed ones that we love. There are also over 100 3-D figures and lifelike recreations of scenes from the beloved manga. Observe the cute Chiikawa Days critters at play, in battle, in jail, at mealtime, and more.  Don’t forget to stop by the merch store afterwards to pick up themed cookies and snacks, as well as the special Hong Kong collection of yum cha-themed plushies designed exclusively for this event by Chiikawa’s creator Nagano!

Whether you’re a casual Instagram user or a photography fanatic, you’ve likely come across a post by Accidentally Wes Anderson (or AWA for short), a platform known for showcasing moments in daily life that replicate the American filmmaker’s signature symmetrical style. This internationally acclaimed art project has held exhibitions in cities such as London, Tokyo, Seoul, and Los Angeles, and this July, it’ll be arriving in Hong Kong for the first time at The Mills and Airside simultaneously. Find more information about these exhibitions here.

From the Magnavox Odyssey – the first home-use video gaming console – to the latest Nintendo Switch 2 release, gamers have seen the rise and fall of many trends and technologies from the 70s to the present day, and you can now reminisce on them all at this exhibition on gaming, its art and designs, and collective memories. Airside is hosting the ‘Restart! Beyond Gaming Exhibition!’, which explores how gaming extends beyond simple personal entertainment and has become an integral part of Hong Kong’s cultural tapestry. Check out the wall of gaming consoles to find vintage consoles such as the Atari 2600 from the 70s, the Nintendo Famicom from the 80s, over 300 Nintendo games from the 80s and 90s, and more; and try your hand at ‘The King of Fighters ‘98’ and ‘Bubble Bubble’ on arcade machines. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of ‘Little Fighter 2’, the exhibiton will feature the remastered game with an Airside-exclusive backdrop of the famous Kowloon Walled City for an added touch of Hong Kong heritage.

Head to the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) to find our city’s first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Mughal art. The Mughal empire was one of the world’s most powerful kingdoms that encompassed much of modern-day Indian, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, ruling from the 16th to the 17th centuries. Though they ruled a mainly Hindu population, the Mughals were Muslim with Mongol origins, and were known for their rich culture and architecture – the Taj Mahal is one such legacy from this empire. Over 100 artefacts from the golden age of the Mughal dynasty, from paintings and jewellery to weaponry, architectural segments, and even some rare surviving textiles from this period are now on show – Hong Kong is this exhibition’s only Asia venue after its London premiere in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Under the rule of three emperors, the Mughal court greatly fostered artistic development and embraced cross-cultural influences, shown here in jade pieces that have incorporated motifs from the Chinese court. Highlights include a casket with mother-of-pearl inlays, a thumb ring from Emperor Akbar’s reign with western enamelling that shows the Mughal court’s hybrid aesthetic, and a beautiful dagger sheath and hilt lavishly decorated with gold and red gemstones. ‘Treasures of the Mughal Court’ runs until February 23, 2026, and tickets are priced from $150 which also grants access to HKPM’s thematic exhibitions in galleries one to seven.

This summer, the weeping cuties of Crybaby are taking over Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong with multiple giant installations. Themed after a playground, eight oversized blind box characters from the Crying For Love series are dotted around the main atrium of the mall for fans to admire and take photos with. The centrepiece is the giant Love You Cherry Much figures, sitting side by side in their cherry outfits above a red-and-white ball pit. Other cute installations include the angel and devil Kiss Kiss characters pouting towards each other in a smooch, a Stupid Cupid heart-shaped swing set, and a translucent red box housing a Heart Broken Crybaby. Pop Mart also brings a pop-up store to this event, with plenty of goodies from the Crying For Love series – like the gift box containing the angel and heart plushies, an adorable straw cup, and vinyl plush hanging dolls – but also from Crybaby’s other lines. Keep your eyes peeled for items that are out of stock online!

Among the three recent Oi! Spotlight exhibitions is renowned Japanese contemporary artist Toyofuku Ryo’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong. His Golden Tearoom is an elegant space filled with over 200 drawings of elements in Hong Kong life. Take your time identifying everything from local dishes to the clown motif for Ocean Park’s Hair Raiser rollercoaster. There is also the Golden Playroom, where visitors are invited to interact and engage with each other through board games and electronic elements. This area is also full to the brim with distinctly local items such as Red A plastic lampshades, golden dragon sculptures often seen in banquet restaurants, metal containers for ‘airplane olive’ snacks, and more.

This summer, cool down at this flowery pool installation in the ifc mall. New York-based artist Cj Hendry is known for her hyper-photorealistic drawings and her large-scale installation Public Pool in Las Vegas, and she’s bringing her swimming pool to Asia for the first time. Slip down the pastel-coloured slide into a vibrant pool filled with flowers, check out the photo booth dressed up like a shower room, and grab a refreshing soda at the accompanying bar. This art piece is basically the height of summer, but away from the stifling heat outdoors.

In need of a sweet treat to cool down this summer? From now until September 28, The Lobby Lounge at Regent Hong Kong is churning out exclusive ice cream creations that are sure to please any dessert fiend. Stop by from now until August 24 to dig into vibrant, summer-y flavours with the Golden Tropics – a refreshing blend of coconut ice cream and passionfruit sorbet, garnished with a medley of tropical fruits and crispy pineapple slices. Then, from August 25 to September 28, be sure to return for the decadent Pistachio Gold Baklava, featuring rich honey pistachio ice cream, crispy kataifi, roasted pistachios, and sweet honeycomb. Book your table for The Lobby Lounge on Regent Hong Kong’s website and savour these decadent desserts today.

Kiang Malingue’s Hong Kong headquarters is currently hosting a collection of recent works by Liu Yin – remember her peach paintings with bright manga eyes at Art Basel? This show is a continuation of Liu’s exploration of nature beginning with her ‘Spring’ series in 2023, which portrays human emotions in greenery, flowers, fruits, and bodies of water. She continues to paint shojo manga eyes over nature, turning the environment into sentient beings. Among the bright, joyful works, there are also some quieter portrayals of nature at nighttime, where the peaches and a moon above a pond are more solemn and reflective. Don’t miss the intense and more powerful Waves and Rocks, which clearly take inspiration from Japanese ukiyo-e works. This exhibition is running until September 13.