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Museums in Hong Kong show how much culture fits into one small city. You can step inside M+ or the Hong Kong Palace Museum in West Kowloon and see world-class collections, then ride the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui for the Science and Space Museums. Those interested in local traditions often head to the Railway Museum in Tai Po or the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in Central. For art by the harbour, the Hong Kong Museum of Art is a highlight. With bilingual displays and easy transport links, the city makes visiting museums simple and worthwhile.
Top 10 Museums In Hong Kong
Museums in Hong Kong present a fantastic selection of Chinese heritage, contemporary art, and science. Museums range from world-class institutions in West Kowloon to obscure, neomantic spots in the New Territories, and will suit every traveller.
1. M+
Photo: Mk2010 / Wikimedia Commons
M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District has quickly become Hong Kong’s signature museum of visual culture. Since opening in 2021, its bold design by Herzog & de Meuron, complete with a giant LED façade glowing across Victoria Harbour, has drawn as much attention as the art inside. Across six levels, the museum covers 20th and 21st-century art, design, architecture, and film, always with an Asian point of view. The Sigg Collection, a world-leading survey of Chinese contemporary art, is a highlight. M+ also runs major international shows, films, and workshops, while its roof garden and harbourside promenade provide skyline views that rival the galleries themselves.
Location: West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Kowloon / Austin + short walk
Suggested Read: Hong Kong Museum Of Art
2. Hong Kong Palace Museum
Photo: xiquinhosilva / Wikimedia Commons
Located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Hong Kong Palace Museum is counted among the best Museums in Hong Kong. Since its opening in 2022, the museum has worked closely with the Palace Museum in Beijing to display rare pieces, including bronzes, porcelain, calligraphy, jade, and ceremonial robes. Nine themed galleries rotate their collections to give visitors new experiences each time. Alongside Chinese artefacts, the museum partners with leading international institutions for special exhibitions that widen its cultural reach. The building itself merges modern architecture with traditional inspiration and overlooks Victoria Harbour. Visitors can also enjoy interactive guides, multimedia features, and programs designed for families.
Location: West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Kowloon / Austin + walk
3. Hong Kong Museum Of Art
Photo: Ghostingb / Wikimedia Commons
Hong Kong Museum of Art (Tsim Sha Tsui) stands as one of the most celebrated Hong Kong museums, located along the picturesque Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. After a major renovation and its reopening in 2019, the museum grew in size to present more than 17,000 pieces, including Chinese antiquities, calligraphy, modern ink art, paintings, and contemporary works. A dedicated “Hong Kong Art” gallery reflects the city’s changing cultural identity, while collaborations with overseas institutions bring acclaimed travelling exhibitions to local audiences. The building itself is designed with bright interiors and glass walls that frame Victoria Harbour, giving visitors an experience where art and scenery meet.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui / East Tsim Sha Tsui
Suggested Read: Palace Museum Hong Kong
4. Hong Kong Museum Of History
Photo: Chong Fat / Wikimedia Commons
Among the most popular Museums in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Museum of History (Tsim Sha Tsui East) gives guests an insightful view of the city’s heritage. Its main feature, The Hong Kong Story, unfolds across eight thematic galleries, illustrating prehistoric communities, traditional villages, colonial years, and the rise of a modern metropolis. The museum features full-scale models, recreated streets, and hands-on media that bring stories of the past alive. Temporary shows broaden the scope with themes such as cultural traditions, archaeology, and regional heritage. The museum sits next to the Science Museum, making it easy to combine the two in one trip.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: East Tsim Sha Tsui / Hung Hom
5. Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Photo: Wing1990hk / Wikimedia Commons
Hong Kong Heritage Museum (Sha Tin) is one of the most remarkable historical museums in Hong Kong. It combines cultural heritage with modern ways of telling stories. The riverside building is large and airy, with permanent galleries on Cantonese opera, traditional Chinese art, village life in the New Territories, and even contemporary design. What stands out most is the Cantonese Opera Hall, filled with costumes, stage props, and interactive displays that let visitors experience this UNESCO-recognised art form up close. Other galleries present calligraphy, ceramics, and folk traditions, showing how the city’s cultural roots developed over time. The museum is not limited to history. It also stages major international shows on photography, animation, and modern design.
Location: Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Che Kung Temple / Sha Tin
Suggested Read: Hong Kong Music Festivals
6. Hong Kong Science Museum
Photo: Lord Jaraxxus / Wikimedia Commons
Hong Kong Science Museum (Tsim Sha Tsui East) is among the top museums in Hong Kong and a favourite with school groups and families. Inside, more than 500 exhibits fill several floors, most of them designed for hands-on play. Kids try out puzzles, simple experiments, and technology demos while parents often stop to watch the 22-meter Energy Machine. This giant structure rattles to life with balls, pulleys, and levers, showing how energy changes form in a chain reaction. A full-size DC-3 aircraft hangs overhead, and there are robotics displays scattered through the halls. Temporary shows add variety, sometimes focusing on space, sometimes on new inventions.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: East Tsim Sha Tsui / Hung Hom
7. Hong Kong Space Museum
Photo: Prosperity Horizons / Wikimedia Commons
Hong Kong Space Museum (Tsim Sha Tsui) is one of the most famous museums in Hong Kong, best known for the dome that looks like a giant egg on the waterfront. Inside, the focus is all on space and astronomy. There are two main galleries, the Hall of Space Science and the Hall of Astronomy, filled with simulators, models, and plenty of hands-on exhibits. The big draw is the planetarium. Omnimax films and sky shows play across the curved dome, turning the whole room into a night sky. Kids enjoy the experiments and the space travel displays, while adults often spend more time with the educational sections.
Location: Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui / East Tsim Sha Tsui
Suggested Read: The Essential Hong Kong Travel Guide
8. Hong Kong Maritime Museum
Photo: KTo288 / Wikimedia Commons
Among the diverse Museums in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (Central Pier No. 8) stands out. Its spot beside the Star Ferry makes it easy to reach, and its galleries tell the story of Hong Kong as a thriving port. Its galleries cover navigation, shipbuilding, naval defence, and the Pearl River Delta’s long role in regional commerce. Visitors can browse antique ship models, old navigation tools, maritime artwork, and interactive digital displays that make history more engaging. A rooftop café gives wide views across Victoria Harbour, adding a scenic break to the cultural experience. The museum also stages changing exhibitions on global maritime themes, so regular visitors always find something new.
Location: Central Pier No. 8, Central, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Central / Hong Kong + walkway
9. Flagstaff House Museum Of Tea Ware
Photo: Wing1990hk / Wikimedia Commons
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware (Central, Hong Kong Park) is one of the most distinctive museums in Hong Kong, devoted entirely to Chinese tea culture. The museum is situated in a restored 19th-century colonial building that once housed the Commander of the British Forces. Inside, visitors can browse an impressive collection of teapots, Yixing clayware, porcelain pieces, and other utensils that trace tea traditions across the centuries. Programs range from tea tastings and live brewing sessions to workshops that talk about tradition and technique. And because it’s located in Hong Kong Park, people often linger in the gardens or watch the birds before heading back into the city.
Location: Hong Kong Park, Central, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Admiralty / Central
Suggested Read: Jiuzhai Valley National Park
10. Hong Kong Railway Museum
Photo: nzsteam / Wikimedia Commons
Hong Kong Railway Museum (Tai Po Market, New Territories) is among the most unique museums in Hong Kong, giving visitors a nostalgic look at the city’s railway past. Built on the site of the old Tai Po Market Railway Station, the open-air museum keeps the original 1913 red-brick structure intact, now a declared monument. Around the grounds, visitors find preserved rolling stock, with passenger carriages and a steam locomotive open to explore. Signs and panels explain how Hong Kong’s railway system grew from the early Kowloon-Canton line to the modern MTR. Families often stop here, since children are welcome to climb into the trains and see the interiors for themselves.
Location: Tai Po Market, New Territories, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Tai Po Market / Tai Wo
Museums in Hong Kong offer a unique mix of tradition and modernity. From M+ and the Palace Museum to the Science and Space Museums, there’s something for everyone. Smaller gems like the Tea Ware and Railway Museums give insight into local life. Many are centrally located, often free, and accessible. With TripXL, exploring top museums in Hong Kong becomes a cultural experience you won’t forget.
Cover Photo: ystsoi / Wikimedia Commons
