The Hong Kong Museum of History has proved it’s possible to squeeze 400 million years of history into one 7,000 square metre space. A list-topper for history buffs, the museum has made enormous efforts in studying, collecting, processing and exhibiting countless objects which are related to the archaeology, history, ethnography and natural histories of Hong Kong and South China. Thematic exhibitions are also regularly held at different times.

The Hong Kong Museum of History, a must-visit for history buffs. Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Address: 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
Tel:+852 2724 9042
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit B2. Walk along Cameron Road towards Tsim Sha Tsui East for approximately 20 minutes.

• MTR Jordan Station Exit D. Walk along Austin Road towards Tsim Sha Tsui East for approximately 20 minutes.

• MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit P2. Walk along the Chatham Road South for 10 minutes.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Surrounded by greenery and just out of view of Sha Tin’s towering housing complexes, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is patterned after the traditional si he yuan: a compound of a harmonious mix of houses built around a central courtyard.

But people don’t just come here for the quaint architecture: the extensive museum is divided into 12 exhibition galleries, each a treasure trove of relics that express the culture and arts of Hong Kong and the nearby South China region.

Notable features include a collection of beautiful Chinese paintings by an acclaimed master of the Lingnan School, Chao Shao-an, a comprehensive and colourful exhibition tracing the development of Cantonese opera, and the first exhibition gallery in Hong Kong designed based on the works of renowned writer Dr Louis Cha (pen name Jin Yong), housing more than 300 exhibits, including early editions of Jin Yong's novels, invaluable manuscripts, documents and photos.

The ‘Bruce Lee: Kung Fu‧Art‧Life’ exhibition

In collaboration with the Bruce Lee Foundation from the United States, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum has organised an exhibition that looks at Bruce Lee not only as a film star and martial artist, but also as a cultural phenomenon. More than 600 invaluable items of Bruce Lee memorabilia provided by local and overseas collectors and organisations will be exhibited. Visitors will be able to gain greater insight into his achievements and contributions as well as his significance in popular culture.

BRUCE LEE® is a registered trademark of Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC. The Bruce Lee name, image, likeness and all related indicia are intellectual property of Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum, a must-visit for Bruce Lee’s fans. Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Address: 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories
Tel:+852 3728 3500
Website: www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Sham Shui Po Station Exit B2. Walk along Pei Ho Street to Tai Po Road.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

From rickety squatter huts, to pioneering public housing and 21st century flats, Shek Kip Mei Housing Estate has witnessed a fascinating transformation over the past 60 years.

Mei Ho House once formed part of this estate, Hong Kong’s oldest public housing complex. Of a total of 29 concrete blocks built in 1954 to re-home thousands affected by a recent fire, Mei Ho House is the only one still standing today, and is an example of the now-rare H-block shape (two residential wings linked by communal facilities).

Regenerated by the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association (YHA), this Grade II historic building reopened to the public in October 2013 as the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel. It now contains the Heritage of Mei Ho House museum, showcasing Shek Kip Mei’s public housing history through the 1950s to 1970s through a mixture of donated exhibits and first-hand anecdotes from former residents.

The museum is open to the public as well as hostellers, free of charge.

Beautiful H shape building of Mei Ho House in Sham Shui Po. Photo credit: adrg.com.hk

Address: Block 41, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
Tel:+852 3728 3500
Website: www.yha.org.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Sham Shui Po Station Exit B2. Walk along Pei Ho Street to Tai Po Road.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Guiding the world’s largest nation out of thousands of years of monarchic rule and transforming it into a republic was no small feat, which makes the museum dedicated to the man responsible for doing this even more fascinating. Dr Sun Yat-sen was educated in Hong Kong, and the city served as his base for the 18 years that led up to him officially declaring the Republic of China in 1912.

Housed in the restored Kom Tong Hall (now a Declared Monument) the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum relives the epoch-making accomplishments of this extraordinary revolutionary, offering exhibition galleries that trace his life and close relationship with Hong Kong.

Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail
Further insights into Dr Sun’s life can be found on the Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail. Information plaques dotted along the way explain interesting landmarks relating to his life in Hong Kong.

Dr Sun Yat-sen was a world-renowned revolutionary who devoted his entire life to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and setting up the Republic of China. Photo credit: nicholaskitto.photoshelter.com

Address: 7 Castle Road, Central, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2367 6373
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Central Station, Exit K. Cross the pedestrian tunnel next to the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong to the Hong Kong City Hall. The City Gallery is right next to the Low Block of Hong Kong City Hall.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Curious what a rapidly-changing city like Hong Kong looked like a century ago? Or how it might look like in three decades’ time? If there is one constant in the story of Asia’s world city it’s not just change but dynamic change. City Gallery showcases this with interactive exhibitions that bring to life the urban planning proposals and infrastructure projects set by the Hong Kong Government.

The gallery consists of 55 interactive exhibits spread over five floors that take visitors on a journey that examines the uniqueness of Hong Kong and shares the city’s vision for future urban planning and infrastructure.  

On the ground floor you will see comparisons and other metropolises by reviewing parameters such as population densities and skyscrapers. Moving to the first floor, you will hear residents of Hong Kong – from high-school students to business executives – talking about what the city means to them.  On the first floor you can watch an interesting history of urban development in Hong Kong, with audio and visual complemented by a dynamic map.

On the second floor, look out for the fascinating model of Hong Kong’s complex underground infrastructure system and sit inside a simulator to experience driving along the transport networks that Hong Kong has planned for the future.

The third floor provides an immersive audio-visual introduction chronicling the remarkable past development, and planned future of Hong Kong. On the fourth floor is the Resource Centre, which has a collection of books and periodicals related to planning and infrastructure.

Occasionally you will find temporary exhibitions on the ground floor, covering topics that complement the gallery’s permanent exhibits. You can also register at reception for a QR code, which can be used to personalise your experience of the exhibitions, from automating language selection to bookmarking exhibit content to your email address.  

Find out more about Hong Kong’s history and future urban planning in the City Gallery. Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

Address: 3 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 3102 1242
Website: www.citygallery.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Central Station, Exit K. Cross the pedestrian tunnel next to the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong to the Hong Kong City Hall. The City Gallery is right next to the Low Block of Hong Kong City Hall.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Do you know the strange rituals of Hong Kong’s earliest triad secret societies? Have you wondered what an underground heroin laboratory looks like? Interested in knowing what type of motorcycles were used by Hong Kong Police in the 1960s? Hong Kong Police Force has seen a lot since it was established in 1844. And it’s all shared in the Police Museum. From the head of a tiger that killed an officer in Sheung Shui to the weapons confiscated from modern-day gangsters, the museum showcases the history of the Hong Kong Police and the crimes they’ve tackled since the 19th century.

Visit the Police Museum for some interesting facts in the criminal world. Photo credit: en.tripadvisor.com.hk

Address: 27 Coombe Road, The Peak, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2367 7821
Website: www.police.gov.hk

How to get there:

• Bus 15 (from Exchange Square to The Peak). Get off at the stop between Stubbs Road and Peak Road.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

From 1953 to 2002, the fireboat Alexander Grantham served as the flagship of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department's fireboat team, responding to fire alarms and conducting rescue operations in Hong Kong's bustling waters and along its shoreline. The vessel is an enduring witness to the history of Hong Kong's sea rescue services, and a testament to the achievements of Hong Kong shipbuilding in the 1950s.

The Alexander Grantham is open to the public in the purpose-built Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, which showcases a number of unique firefighting artifacts and illustrates marine rescue work in Hong Kong.

Fireboat that has been transformed into a gallery. Photo credit: ovolohotels.com

Address: Quarry Bay Park, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2367 7821
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• Tai Koo MTR Station, Exit E. Walk through City Plaza and then cross the footbridge into Quarry Bay Park. The entire walk takes approximately 10 minutes.

• Sai Wan Ho MTR Station, Exit A. Walk around 10 minutes via the Hong Kong Film Archive to Quarry Bay Park.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Four floors dedicated to state-of-the-art film storage and preservation, exhibitions and screenings of old Hong Kong classics and films from around the world. Head here to catch rarely seen flicks or just to soak in the magic of Hong Kong’s glamorous cinema history. Film buffs beware — you might never get out of the Resource Centre, which houses voluminous books, magazines, newspapers and audio-visual materials. 

The archive helps to preserve the rich heritage of Hong Kong cinema with the support of the industry and the public.

Hong Kong Film Archive building in Sai Wan Ho. Photo credit: fso-createhk.gov.hk

Address: 50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2739 2139
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Sai Wan Ho Station Exit A, walk through Tai On Street to Lei King Road for five minutes.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.

Sitting proudly on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, the Hong Kong Museum of Art is dedicated to promoting local art while also shedding light on China’s long cultural legacy. The Hong Kong Museum of Art underwent a major renovation and reopened in November 2019 with a new annex block and an expanded programme. Spread across 10,000 square metres, the museum has a vast collection of over 17,000 artefacts including Chinese antiquities dating back to the Neolithic period and works by seminal artists such as Wu Guanzhong, who was widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese painting. The museum is also known for its work in charting the development of Hong Kong’s art scene, which, although still relatively young, has already proven to be a force to be reckoned with.

Stunning Hong Kong Museum of Art building in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo credit: sassymamahk.com

Address: 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel:+852 2721 0116
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit L6 or J;

• MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit E; or

• you can also take the Star Ferry from Central or Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui and walk to the museum. It's about 10 minutes.

 

With thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and discoverhongkong.com for the content.