The Hong Kong Palace Museum's tapering gold-toned facade above trees and a lawn under a clear blue sky

Museum · West Kowloon, Kowloon

West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ & Hong Kong Palace Museum

Harbourfront arts district with M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Art Park and a waterfront promenade

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Photo: Cheung Yin (@cheungyin) / Unsplash

Discover West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ & Hong Kong Palace Museum

On the harbourfront at the western edge of the Kowloon peninsula, the West Kowloon Cultural District has become Hong Kong's main stage for art and culture. Two major museums anchor it: M+, a museum of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which presents treasures linked to Beijing's Palace Museum in a striking modern building.

Between and around them, the Art Park's lawns and the waterfront promenade look straight across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island, making the district as rewarding for a sunset stroll or picnic as for a day in the galleries. Restaurants, cafes, performance venues and the Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera complete a varied cultural quarter.

Don’t miss

01M+, with galleries of visual art, design and architecture, moving image and Hong Kong visual culture
02The M+ Roof Garden and harbour-facing LED facade
03The Hong Kong Palace Museum's nine galleries of Chinese art and imperial treasures
04Art Park's lawns and waterfront paths with skyline views, popular at sunset
05The Xiqu Centre, a venue dedicated to Chinese opera, near Austin Station

History & culture

The story of West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ & Hong Kong Palace Museum

The district was planned on the West Kowloon harbourfront as a long-term cultural hub for Hong Kong. M+ opened on 12 November 2021 in a building by Herzog & de Meuron with TFP Farrells and Arup, covering about 65,000 square metres with 33 galleries, and its harbour-facing LED facade displays moving-image works at night.

The Hong Kong Palace Museum, designed by Rocco Design Architects Associates, opened in July 2022. Its nine galleries, totalling about 30,000 square metres, draw on objects from the Palace Museum in Beijing and other institutions to tell the story of Chinese art and imperial court life, with ceramics, jade carvings and goldwork among the highlights.

Local life & traditions

West Kowloon is where Hong Kong residents come to relax as much as to see exhibitions. On weekends the lawns fill with families, picnickers and dog walkers, and the promenade is busy with joggers and cyclists. The museums are a source of local pride and debate, reflecting Hong Kong's position between Chinese heritage and global contemporary culture.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Choose one museum for a morning or afternoon visit, or book both on separate half days: M+ for contemporary art, design and film, and the Hong Kong Palace Museum for imperial Chinese art. Free areas at M+, including the Roof Garden and parts of the lower floors, are worth a look even without a ticket.

As the afternoon ends, walk along the waterfront promenade or settle on the Art Park lawn to watch the sun set behind the harbour and the skyline light up across the water. Check the district's programme for outdoor festivals, markets and performances, especially at weekends.

When to go

The museums are good year-round and a welcome escape from summer heat or rain. For the outdoor areas, October to March brings the most pleasant temperatures and clearer views, and late afternoon into sunset is the most atmospheric time. Note the different closing days: M+ closes on Mondays and the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Tuesdays (except public holidays).

Plan your visit

Verified information

M+ opening hours: Tue-Thu and weekends 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-10pm; closed Mondays (open on public holidays except Mondays); last admission 30 minutes before closing Source: mplus.org.hk ↗
M+ admission (as published, Oct 2026): Standard HKD 190; concession HKD 100; children aged 6 and under free; some areas such as the Roof Garden are free Source: mplus.org.hk ↗
Hong Kong Palace Museum hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun 10am-6pm; Fri, Sat and public holidays 10am-8pm; closed Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of Lunar New Year Source: hkpm.org.hk ↗
By MTR: Kowloon Station Exit E4/E5, about 10 minutes' walk to M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum; Austin Station Exit F for the Xiqu Centre Source: mtr.com.hk ↗
Addresses: M+: 38 Museum Drive; Hong Kong Palace Museum: 8 Museum Drive; Art Park: 18 Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District Source: discoverhongkong.com ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Check each museum's announcements before visiting, as special hours and gallery closures are posted there
Book timed tickets online for popular special exhibitions
Plan around the closing days: M+ shuts on Mondays and the Palace Museum on Tuesdays
Bring sunscreen and water for the open lawns and promenade
Stay for sunset on the Art Park lawn before heading back to Tsim Sha Tsui

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around West Kowloon Cultural District, M+ & Hong Kong Palace Museum: food, markets & places to stay

The ELEMENTS shopping mall above Kowloon Station links the district to the MTR and the Airport Express, and the Xiqu Centre sits near Austin Station. Tsim Sha Tsui, with its hotels, restaurants and the Kowloon Mosque on Nathan Road, is a short taxi or bus ride east. The Hong Kong Tourism Board's Muslim travel guide lists halal-certified options in Tsim Sha Tsui, including Mr. BBQ on Austin Road.