A Guide to Discovering Hong Kong's Hidden Museum Treasures

This article showcases a selection of lesser-known yet worthwhile museums in Hong Kong, including the Palace Museum, M+ Museum, and Hong Kong Museum of History. It provides detailed information on addresses, transportation, opening hours, and ticket prices to help you effortlessly plan your museum visits!

A Little Guide to Museums in Hong Kong to Check Out These Hidden Gems

Last week, I took two days off to explore some of Hong Kong's lesser-known museums that people usually skip. I was really blown away: turns out, besides the Victoria Harbour night view and the cha chaan teng, there are so many cool, off-the-beaten-path exhibitions. I wrote down the routes, ticket prices, and potential pitfalls, so you can just copy my homework.

My Rush Route

I stayed in Mong Kok and left at 9:30 AM, first heading to the Hong Kong Palace Museum. From the C1 exit of Kowloon Station, I walked for about 10 minutes following the signs. I bought my ticket online in advance for 70 HKD, and just scanned it at the entrance. Note: It's closed on Tuesdays; I almost ended up with nothing.

A Guide to Discovering Hong Kong's Hidden Museum Treasures

After the Palace Museum, it’s just a 5-minute walk to the M+ Museum. The ticket is a bit pricey at 120 HKD, but seeing Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkin and the huge LED wall made it worth it. It’s open until 10 PM on Fridays, so I wrapped up my visit just in time to catch the sunset at the West Kowloon Cultural District.

I had a quick lunch at the cultural district and then took the subway to Tsim Sha Tsui. In the afternoon, I went through the Hong Kong Museum of Art (free), Hong Kong Museum of History (free), and Hong Kong Space Museum in one go. The Space Museum ticket is only 10 HKD, but it opens at 1 PM, so don’t be like me and show up at 11 AM waiting outside.

On the second day, I switched to Hong Kong Island. The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Museum is located at Mid-Levels in Central. I exited at the D2 exit of Central Station and followed Google Maps to hike up a 15-minute slope. It’s free to enter, but closed on Mondays. The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences is at Exit C in Sai Ying Pun; the ticket is 20 HKD, and it’s filled with 19th-century medical equipment—so be cautious if you’re squeamish.

Finally, I headed to the Tai Kwun (Hong Kong’s Heritage and Arts Centre). You can take the D1 exit from Central Station and directly ride the escalator up. No reservation needed; it’s free. There’s also a light show at 8 PM in the evening, which was a great way to wrap up the day.

My Practical Tips

Museum	Ticket Price	Closed Days	Subway Exit	My Tips
Hong Kong Palace Museum	70 HKD	Tuesday	Kowloon C1/D1	Buy tickets online in advance, fewer people in the morning
M+ Museum	120 HKD	Monday	Kowloon C1/D1	Open until 22:00 on Fridays, great for night views
Hong Kong Museum of Art	Free	Thursday	Tsim Sha Tsui E/Tsim East J	Great terrace on the third floor for Victoria Harbour shots
Hong Kong Museum of History	Free	Tuesday	Tsim East P2/Hung Hom D1	Super detailed Hong Kong Story exhibition—reserve 2 hours
Hong Kong Space Museum	10 HKD	Tuesday	Tsim Sha Tsui E/Tsim East J3	Opens at 1 PM, don’t arrive too early
Hong Kong Science Museum	20 HKD	Thursday	Tsim East P2/Hung Hom D1	A must for kids; the mirror maze is fun
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Museum	Free	Monday	Central D2	Steep hike, wear sneakers
Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences	20 HKD	Monday	Sai Ying Pun C	Some exhibits are a bit graphic; be cautious
Tai Kwun	Free	None	Central D1 + escalator	Light show at 8 PM, perfect for ending the day

My Pitfall Alerts

Many museums are closed on Tuesdays: The Palace Museum, Museum of History, and Space Museum are all closed, so I almost wasted my first day.
Space Museum opens late: It opens at 1 PM; you can check out the nearby Museum of Art first.
Steep hike to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Museum: The hill at Mid-Levels is really steep; I almost gave up in dress shoes.
M+ can get super crowded on Fridays: If you want to take photos without people, I suggest going on a weekday morning.

My Money-Saving Tips

The Museum of Art, Museum of History, and Tai Kwun are all free—just go for it.
You can buy tickets on-site for the Science Museum and Space Museum without reservations.
Buying tickets for the Palace Museum and M+ in advance on their websites saves queue time, but there's no discount.

My Photo Spots

Palace Museum's third-floor terrace: perfect for a panoramic view of the West Kowloon Cultural District
M+’s second-floor LED wall: amazing for silhouette shots
Museum of Art's third-floor terrace: stunning sunset over Victoria Harbour
Tai Kwun’s old prison yard: great for photos with historical vibe

My Schedule

Day 1
9:30-12:00 Hong Kong Palace Museum
12:00-14:00 M+ Museum + Lunch
14:30-16:00 Hong Kong Museum of Art
16:30-18:00 Hong Kong Museum of History
18:30-20:00 Hong Kong Space Museum (check planetarium)

Day 2
10:00-11:30 Sun Yat-sen Memorial Museum
12:00-13:30 Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
14:00-18:00 Tai Kwun (including photo time + dinner)

These museums were way more fun than I expected, especially M+ with its contemporary art and the Medical Museum's old surgical rooms. Next time, I’m planning to go to M+ on a Friday night specifically because I’ve heard the lights look completely different at night.