THE 10 BEST Hong Kong History Museums
History Museums in Hong Kong
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Travellers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travellers across the globe.
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Speciality Museums • Science Museums
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Military Museums • Speciality Museums
Hong Kong Island
Art Galleries • Art Museums
Kowloon
History Museums
Hong Kong Island
Speciality Museums • Children's Museums
History Museums
Ancient Ruins • History Museums
Speciality Museums • Art Museums
Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
Speciality Museums • Art Museums
Speciality Museums • History Museums
History Museums
New Territories
History Museums
History Museums
What travellers are saying
- Rowan HCairns, Australia1,797 contributionsVisited the museum of history while on a recent visit to Hong Kong.
It was free to enter.
I must admit I do find museums can be a bit hit and miss at times, particularly those that insist on having extensive exhibits which often can be time consuming and not that interesting. I felt the Hong Kong history museum struck the balance between exhibits, videos and information boards quite well and managed to keep things succinct and interesting. We spent a total of 2 hours here and overall enjoyed the experience.
As a temporary exhibit there was a section celebrating nationalist china when we first entered. This to me largely seemed to represent Chinese propaganda and I suspect it was probably established to try to smooth over the recent tension between Hong Kong and china which boiled over in the 2019/2020 protests. This section can be walked through.
Overall I would recommend.Written 24 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Trip248590446501 contributionIt's a great place indeed! The manager of the place has introduced to us the buildings' features, background, and the family that was living back in the 19th and 20th centuries. He has even explained the building direction, which could be understood with Fung Shui thoughts.
I love how he combine science, Feng Shui into short and amusing dialogues, and how he believes that "everything is explainable. Will surely visit again 2 years later!Written 16 March 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - schmidtmgSwitzerland1,164 contributionsI have been to the HK Heritage Museum many times over the years, and there's always an interesting exhibit. This time it was the exhi it to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Cantopop diva Anita Mui... traces the history of this iconic and most talented lady.... go visit the museum whie you can, as the HK government announced plans, in December 2023, to moce the current Science Museum to the site of the Heritage Museum and scatter around the collections of the latter. If implemented, this would be pretty , not to put too fine a point to it, dumb.Written 8 January 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Passenger520436951311 contributionI am a Filipina Domestic Helper here in Hongkong.
Most of my day off I am alone actually.
So I decide to visit museums to spend my time productively my educating my self from the learning I've learned from the museum.
The HKMM was awesome.
I have learn a lot.
this is the 2nd museum that I have visited.
The first one was the Museum Of Medical Sciences.
Amazing collections of artifacts.
I super love it. ♥️Written 19 April 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Deepansh J216 contributionsNice museum to visit and spend some time. It is the museum of coastal defence of Hong Kong and must go there as a touristWritten 8 February 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- OntarioTraveler9Burlington, Canada994 contributionsI like the architecture and the design of the museum. It is also great to be able to see the artifacts right in Hong Kong. There is also a discount for seniors to buy the admission tickets.Written 3 February 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BradHong Kong, China182,695 contributionsThe Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Center is located in the middle of Kowloon Park in two of the old Whitfield Barracks which occupied this location in the 20th century prior to the creation of the park. This heritage building is now the location of a pretty good little museum and information centre covering the topic of Hong Kong archeological history. Opening hours are 10am to 6pm daily (closed on Thursdays). Entry is free.
What you will find here are a main gallery describing general archeology and heritage sites around Hong Kong as well as three smaller galleries with a focus on artefacts from the Pre-historic times, Han and Ming Dynasties. There are interesting human remains, pottery, tools and other items of interest from these various time periods as well as helpful information description what you are seeing and where the discoveries were found or unearthed around Hong Kong.
The Discovery Centre now has a small exhibition setup to describe the damage to the old Duddell Street gas lamps that occurred during Super Typhoon Mangkut as well as the restoration efforts that went into restoring this popular historic attraction on Hong Kong Island. There is also a nice outside courtyard area and you'll find maps and brochures related to important heritage and archeology sites and related self-guided tours you can try around Hong Kong.
In the end, while less important than the Hong Kong History Museum in TST East and Hung Hum area, the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is a great use of the historic Whitfield Barracks and good place to spend a 20-30 minutes if planning to spend time in Kowloon Park.Written 21 September 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - BradHong Kong, China182,695 contributionsThe Jao Tsung-I Academy is a hillside compound of heritage buildings along Castle Peak Road in Lai Chi Kok that were revitalised by the HK Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture (HKIPCC) and named after the late prominent scholar Jao Tsung-I.
The academy was opened to the public in phases between 2012-14 and now features three hillside levels of Grade 3 protected historic buildings that function as a museum with exhibition galleries, activity centre, restaurant, coffee shop and even a hotel. The outdoor grounds are open from 8am to 10pm daily, exhibition halls are open from 10am to 6pm daily. No entry fee required.
The lower level is where you find the Main Gallery which is a testimony to the life and scholarly works of Jao Tsung-I. There is also a Heritage Hall where you can learn about the history of the area and buildings which date back to the late 19th century when a Qing Dynasty Customs house was located here. Later buildings, including those you see today, served as a labourers' quarters, prison, quarantine station, infectious disease hospital and lastly a psychiatric rehab centre which was eventually closed in 2004. There is a statue of Jao Tsung-I and a small but beautiful lotus pond here.
The second level is where you find a series of buildings including another exhibition hall, presently presenting information about Chinese language characters, activity rooms, Hope of Joy restaurant and Coffeeflow. Continuing to the third level, you will find the Heritage Lodge. There are public toilets on each level as well as a series of lifts for those unable to walk up the stairs between levels and guests of the hotel with luggage.Written 11 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - BradHong Kong, China182,695 contributionsThis is restored Hakka village house and declared monument in the Chai Wan area of the Hong Kong Island. Built in the mid-18th century and belonging to the Law Uk family, the property provides glimpse into the architecture and everyday life at what was once a major Hakka settlement. Now the building serves as a minor museum (free entry) for those who visit this area of the city and have interest in local history.
The grounds include the restored house which has five indoor rooms, several including displays of historic furnishing, farm equipment, ceremonial and other items from the past. There are information panels outside the museum in the small courtyard providing some history of the Hakka people, their village lives before and then during the British colonial period, customs and festive ceremonies, building architecture and details about the family who owned this particular house in the past.
There is also an annex property on the museum grounds as well, it is built in the same manner as the historic Law Uk house. It was closed when we passed by recently.
Overall, it is good that the government restores and protects historic properties and puts them to good use like what you will find with the Law Uk Folk Museum in Chai Wan. It makes for a good place to spend 20-30 minutes if you find yourself in the area. However, if you are real history buff, it is better to visit the Hong Kong Museum of History, where you will find similar displays and learning opportunity regarding the Hakka people and other Chinese ethnic groups that have roots here in Hong Kong.Written 11 October 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Lynns98816681 contributionsThis is a complementary for people who wait for the tram. You can see the history of the peak tram. It only takes 5 minutes to see this.Written 14 March 2016This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- schmidtmgSwitzerland1,164 contributionsIt was interesting to juxtapose the exhibits in 2019 (in the middle of the protests, when these were not yet included in the exhibits) and in spring 2023. The 2019 protests, the NSL of July 2020 and the Covid pandemic are addressed, but very briefly and without hardly any commentary... it is indeed a bit reflective of the political changes in Hong Kong since 2019....Written 2 May 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BradHong Kong, China182,695 contributionsCLP Pulse is the newest museum in Hong Kong. It is located in the Grade I Historic CLP Clock Tower situated along Argyle Road just next to Kadoorie Hill. The museum is open from 10am to 6pm (Tues, Wed and Fri - Sun), closed on Mondays and Thursdays. Entry is free.
There are three main exhibitions along with historic information about the architecture and history of the CLP Clock Tower building itself. The ground floor is dedicated to the ElectriCity exhibition which showcases Hong Kong's history of electricity foundation and evolution, highlighting the role CLP played in establishing electricity in HK and how electricity shaped the growth of the city during the 20th century. There are also dedicated sections which focus on clean and green electricity and Hong Kong's plans to become a carbon neutral city by 2050.
The displays are sometimes fairly texty but you can move along at whatever pace you are comfortable with and there are interactive displays wit screens you can use as well to help keep things from going stale. The Connect the World to a Brighter Future - Immersive Experience room in particular is quite impressive. It is a full room programme that is well worth watching as part of your visit.
The upstairs is dedicated to two exhibitions. These include 'Our Home Our History' which focuses on the role of the Kadoorie Family and contributions they made to both Shanghai and Hong Kong. The second upstairs exhibition called 'Traces of Human Touch' presents a history of heritage industries in Hong Kong, allowing visitors to learn about past livelihoods of Hongkongers who worked in apparel, footwear, ornaments, decorations, furniture building, print, musical instruments and the likes. This exhibition highlights efforts by the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) office. Displays are similar to what you can see at the Sam Tung Uk Museum in Tsuen Wan.
There is a cafe upstairs and if you walk through to the outdoor patio garden you can see a preserved 5th generation Peak Tram car which was in service from 1989-2021. These have now been replaced by the new 6th generation trams that went into service last year.
Overall, the new CLP Pulse is a good speciality museum and experience if this is a topic of interest. Everything is new and in very good working order presently. You can leisurely visit and see all in 45-60 minutes time. Visit the CLP Pulse website directly for more information.Written 27 June 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - BradHong Kong, China182,695 contributionsThis is an interesting heritage centre that makes use of a Grade 3 historic school building in the heart of the Tai Hang neighbourhood. The Centre is open from 10am to 6pm (Tues to Sat), closed on Monday. You will find a small exhibition gallery on the ground floor with some very interesting models depicting the unique Fire Dragon Parade and celebration that takes place each year in the Tai Hang neighbourhood around Mid-Autumn Festival.
There are are few items of interest relating to the old school itself and a bit of interesting history to learn about the Tai Hang neighbourhood and culture of the Hakka people who originally settled in this location. Information is in Cantonese and English and there are friendly staff members on hand who will gladly answer any questions you might have about the displays or the special Fire Dragon Parade event itself. Upstairs there is a traditional local restaurant that serves Hakka style dishes as well.Written 9 February 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
