6 Underrated Art Museums, Galleries, and Installations to Visit in Hong Kong in 2023
There’s no denying that Hong Kong is one of the art capitals of Asia, but outside the Hong Kong Museum of Art are a number of lesser-known and underrated art locations that enthusiasts will admire. Hong Kong has undergone a massive revamp since pre-pandemic, and a number of new museums, galleries, and installations have popped up to welcome new and returning tourists. Whether you’re in Hong Kong for a long stay or a short vacation, here’s a quick itinerary for art-loving travelers.
Also read: The Very Best of Hong Kong: A Six-Day Travel Guide to HK in 2023
1| M+
Launched during the pandemic, M+ is an artist’s dream. The museum features 20th and 21st-century visual culture, which covers everything from art to architecture, and installations to films. The museum has a number of ongoing exhibits, but one we’d prioritize to visit would be Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now. It’s the largest Yayoi Kusama retrospective in Asia outside of Japan and features more than 200 of her best works. A mix of paintings, sculptures, short films, and installations, the exhibition is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Location: Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon
Open until: May 14, 2023
Learn more here.
2| Arte M
D’strict’s Arte M in Hong Kong takes “immersive” to a whole new level. Opened just last year, the special exhibition space blends visuals with sounds and space to recreate nature in a controlled and amplified environment. The exhibition consists of six spaces, all of which reimagine natural environments: two Flower rooms, two Jungle rooms, a Wave room, and a Beach room. Each room is a symphony of light projections, nature-inspired music, theme-appropriate fragrances, and moving visuals. The Wave room’s large screen displays waves crashing toward you, while the Jungle rooms follow wild animals captured in an Avatar-esque bioluminescent environment. There’s nothing quite like Arte M in the Philippines, which makes it a must-visit on your Hong Kong itinerary.
Location: 2F, K11 HACC, K11 Atelier, King’s Road, Hong Kong Island
Learn more here.
3| SerendiCity
Similar to Arte M’s experiential exhibition, the Hong Kong Media Arts Festival’s SerendiCity focuses on multisensory setups. The event is a little more avant-garde than other options on our list, but fans of multisensory art will appreciate this fusion of tech and art. SerendiCity features a number of installations/events in its lineup, but the one you can’t miss is Borealis, which recreates the Aurora Borealis over the Great Lawn of the Art Park. Swiss artist Dan Archer’s vivid reimagining of the northern lights brings the phenomenon closer to Hong Kongers, and locals and tourists alike can bring a picnic blanket and lie down under the manufactured Aurora Borealis in Hong Kong.
Location: Great Lawn, Art Park, West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon
Open until: March 5, 2023
Learn more here.
4| Hong Kong Palace Museum
For lovers of the classics, Hong Kong Palace Museum is the place to go. Another newly opened museum, the cultural landmark walks viewers through the history and art of Hong Kong’s past. Made up of nine galleries, it’s home to almost 1,000 priceless treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing. Its galleries explore the life and art of the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as the priceless artifacts that defined each era. These include stunning ceramics, calligraphy, and watercolors through the ages.
Location: Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon
Learn more here.
5| K11 MUSEA
When it comes to mall culture, Hong Kong is giving the Philippines a run for its money. Hong Kong’s newest retail art mall, K11 Musea, holds the most high-end brands in the luxury market—all while displaying unique artwork throughout the mall. The mall itself is a work of art that was made possible by 100 architects and designers. K11 MUSEA boasts 40 artist installations scattered between stores like Gucci and Cartier.
Location: 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Learn more here.
6| Harbour City
Not to be outdone, Harbour City is another mall with its own collection of art scattered on its premises. At its gallery, 18-year-old illustrator Offload is currently displaying his work at his first solo exhibition “Prosthetic Garden” at Harbour City. Meanwhile, the French artist JR will soon exhibit his GIANTS photo installations in Harbour City, his first time doing so in Asia. The giant installation will be placed against Victoria Harbour at Ocean Terminal Deck.
Location: 7 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Learn more here.
BONUS: West Kowloon
A bonus addition to our list would have to be West Kowloon’s historical area. While a part of West Kowloon has been refurbished into an arts hub, home to M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum, another part of West Kowloon is unchanged by the pressures of time. A stroll through the backstreets of West Kowloon is where you’ll find Art Deco, Victorian Gothic, and Neoclassical structures as well as giant murals and creative graffiti. This area might be a little grittier than the other locations on our list, but you can’t ignore the art and history behind West Kowloon.
Location: West Kowloon, Kowloon
Learn more here.
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