In search of more art and cultural experiences? Here are a couple of our suggestions for you, but take note that each outing will take half a day. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum and CHAT are both favourites of ours. We especially love CHAT for its art programming, shops, coffee houses, and for a chance to reconnect with one of Hong Kong’s oldest industries – that of cotton-spinning.
SHA TIN
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Hong Kong Heritage Museum is a museum of history, art and culture in Sha Tin. Located beside the Shing Mun River, it opened in 2000, and presents a unique mix of history, art and culture in a variety of cultural and educational experiences. It is home to six thematic galleries with regular exhibitions as well as five permanent galleries, including the T.T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art – an important collection of Chinese ceramics and works of art. The Museum also hosts special thematic exhibitions that make trips there worthwhile. Notable past exhibitions include ‘Inventing le Louvre’ (2017), ‘Golden Splendours: 20th Century Painted Porcelains of Hong Kong’ (2018), and ‘A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum’ (2019).
TSUEN WAN
CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile)
If you haven’t yet visited, you should! A visit to CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile) at The Mills is well worth your time. Located in the former cotton-spinning mills of Nan Fung Textiles, CHAT is a revitalised art centre that weaves creative experiences for its audiences. Through their multifaceted curated programmes and exhibitions, it pays homage to Hong Kong’s textile industry, aiming to engage audiences in conversations that interweave contemporary art, design, heritage and community. It’s also filled with retail shops and cafés – perfect for those looking for a unique shopping experience! It’s easily accessible via the Tsuen Wan MTR and then on foot; but for those who don’t like to walk, there’s also a free shuttle service that picks up passengers from the MTR directly to the centre.
KWAI CHUNG
Hanart Square
Hanart Square was founded in 1983 by art expert, Johnson Chang, who also curated the art collection at the China Club in the early 1990s, and actively promoted the Cynical Realism art movement. The gallery has been a pioneer in exploring the Chinese cultural map for over thirty years; it represents and works with internationally prominent artists, many of whom are household names. The gallery has also been instrumental in introducing new Chinese contemporary art both to the Asia region and internationally, serving as a significant link with the international art world and staging significant landmark exhibitions.
TSEUNG KWAN O
HKDI Gallery
As an affiliate of the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), HKDI Gallery is a vibrant exhibition space with a unique vision and contemporary design as its cornerstone. Working with internationally renowned museums, designers and curators, the gallery presents a series of top-notch exhibitions and educational programs each year, including graphic design, architecture, fashion, product design, multimedia and more, with the aim of creating new awareness of design in Hong Kong.
