One of Hong Kong’s most enduring and popular pastimes is cheering on galloping horses at the track.

Horseracing has been a strong feature of the city’s living culture since the 19th century, and The Hong Kong Racing Museum is there to preserve and celebrate this slice of Hong Kong’s heritage.

The museum adjoins the stands of the world-famous Happy Valley Racecourse and traces the locals’ love affair with the ponies by charting the history of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The Hong Kong Racing Museum at Happy Valley Racecourse takes visitors on a journey through more than 150 years of racing history. Photo credit: www.airbnb.com

Address: 2/F, Happy Valley Stand, Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2966 8065
Website: corporate.hkjc.com

How to get there:

• MTR Causeway Bay Station, Exit A. Walk along Matheson Street to Wong Nai Chung Road and then continue to walk for approximately 15 minutes.

• Bus 75, 90 or 97 from Exchange Square bus terminus (near MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit D). Alight outside the museum.

 

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

Flagstaff House

Built in the 1840s, Flagstaff House is an elegant reminder of Hong Kong’s colonial heritage. Formerly the office and residence of the commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong, it is one of the oldest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the city.

Its first occupant was Major-General G C D'Aguilar, who served as general officer commanding from 1844 to 1846 and who also held the appointment of lieutenant governor. Flagstaff House continued to be the residence of the commander of the British forces up until 1978, when it was handed over to the Hong Kong government. The building hasn’t been immune to Hong Kong’s turbulent life and, during the Second World War, it was hit twice by Japanese shells in the Battle of Hong Kong, but repaired quickly when it was commandeered for use by officers of the occupying forces.

Taking pride of place inside the grounds of Hong Kong Park, which also has a marriage registry, Flagstaff House is now a popular background for wedding photos.

Museum of Tea Ware

Flagstaff House was converted into the Museum of Tea Ware in 1984 with a new wing, the K.S. Lo Gallery, added in 1995. Alongside its exhibitions, the museum holds regular demonstrations, tea gatherings and lecture programmes to promote ceramic art and China’s enduring tea-drinking culture.

Flagstaff House Museum of teaware, the drinking of tea plays a big part in Asian culture, the museum of teaware is dedicated to the study and display of tea. Photo credit: timeout.com

Address: Inside Hong Kong Park, 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 2869 0690, +852 2869 6690
Website: hk.art.museum

How to get there:

• MTR Admiralty Station, Exit C1. Then follow the signs up the escalator to Hong Kong Park.

 

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

The Hong Kong Maritime Museum showcases Hong Kong’s maritime heritage in its past, present and future and places the city’s seafaring story in local, regional and international contexts.

In addition to documenting the past in terms of how China, Asia and the West have developed boats, ships, maritime exploration, trade and naval warfare, the museum also covers the present by explaining global trends and the importance of shipping to Hong Kong`s economy. Visitors of all ages and nationalities can find something that interests them, discover interesting facts and enjoy the interactive displays.

Each of the galleries has been set up with the help and generous support of individuals and corporations in the maritime industry, who believe in the importance of the preservation of Hong Kong`s maritime history.

Learn about Hong Kong's fascinating maritime story in a museum located at one of the world's major harbours. Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Address: Central Pier 8, Central, Hong Kong Island
Tel:+852 3713 2500
Website: www.hkmaritimemuseum.org

How to get there:

• MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit A2 or MTR Central Station Exit A. Walk to the pier along Man Yiu Street.

 

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

You may recognise the rather unusual egg-shaped building that has become a landmark on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. This striking dome is home to the Hong Kong Space Museum.

The city’s popular planetarium is made up of the Stanley Ho Space Theatre, the Hall of the Cosmos, and the Hall of Space Exploration. There is plenty of action and toys for wannabe space explorers and closet geeks, such as the Omnimax and sky shows, astronomy exhibits, digital planetarium projector, and seats installed with multi-language and interactive systems.

Download the ‘iM Guide’ app for a mobile multimedia museum guide.

Hong Kong Space Museum, waterside egg-shaped building with planetarium and Omnimax films, plus space and astronomy exhibits. Photo credit: travel.sygic.com

Address: 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel:+852 2721 0226
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit J, walk about 10 minutes to the museum; or Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit E. Walk towards Salisbury Road then cross at the pedestrian crossing; or,

• Star Ferry from Central or Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui. Walk for approximately 10 minutes to the museum.

 

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

If you think a visit to a museum means staring into glass cabinets for endless hours, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Over 70 per cent of the Hong Kong Science Museum’s 500 exhibits are hands-on, meaning you can literally play around with a broad spectrum of cool topics, including robotics, virtual reality and transportation.

Be sure to check out the 22-metre-high twin-tower Energy Machine which, when activated, triggers a series of displays to produce spectacular audio-visual effects demonstrating various forms of energy.

Download the ‘iM Guide’ app for a mobile multimedia museum guide.

Hong Kong Science Museum, opened in 1992, has become a good place to explore scientific knowledge. Photo credit: tourismportrait.com

Address: 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon
Tel:+852 2732 3232
Website: www.lcsd.gov.hk

How to get there:

• MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit B2 and walk along Cameron Road towards Tsim Sha Tsui East for 18 minutes; or,

• MTR Jordan Station Exit D and walk along Austin Road towards Tsim Sha Tsui East for 20 minutes; or,

• MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit P2 and walk along Chatham Road South for approximately 10 minutes.

 

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

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.