West Kowloon Cultural District & M+
西九文化区与M+
A contemporary art district on the western side of Victoria Harbour, home to the M+ museum of visual culture, the Hong Kong Palace Museum and waterfront lawns. Exhibitions, picnics and sunset views are all available in one stop.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is a 40-hectare cultural zone built on reclaimed land on the western side of Kowloon, facing Hong Kong Island's western skyline. The M+ museum opened in 2021 as Asia's first global museum of contemporary visual culture. Its collection spans visual art, design, architecture and moving images from the 20th and 21st centuries. Landmark holdings include Chinese contemporary art from the Uli Sigg collection and works by Yayoi Kusama. The building was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, and its façade is a giant LED screen visible from Hong Kong Island at night. Some permanent displays are free, while others charge admission (standard tickets cost about HK$120, and special exhibitions cost extra). The museum is closed on Tuesdays. The rooftop garden is free and offers views over the harbour. Next door, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (opened in 2022, admission about HK$70, closed on Tuesdays) displays treasures lent by the Palace Museum in Beijing. Special exhibitions often require advance booking. The Art Park is a large waterfront lawn where locals picnic, walk their dogs and watch the sunset on weekends, a rare open space in Hong Kong. The Xiqu Centre and Freespace also host performances. Getting there: it's about a 10-minute walk from Austin or Kowloon MTR stations. The high-speed West Kowloon station is right next door, making this a convenient first stop for cross-border visitors. Plan for half a day: visit one museum in the afternoon, watch the sunset from the lawn in the evening, then walk to Tsim Sha Tsui. Note: book both museums online in advance, remember that they close on Tuesdays, and bring sun protection since the lawn has no shade.
Opening hours
M+ closed Tue, 10:00–18:00 (Fri until 22:00); park open all day
Nearby sights
- Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck
- Hong Kong Palace Museum
- Kowloon Park
- Temple Street Night Market
- Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market
- Tin Hau Temple, Yau Ma Tei
- Harbour City
- 1881 Heritage