A Look at the Hong Kong Museum of Art

Writer - Nicholas

Photographer - Nicholas

Posted October 23, 2025

The Hong Kong Museum of Art offers visitors the opportunity to appreciate works by artists from cultures around the world and different eras in history. Lose yourself among the 17,000 works on display: paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and more.

Background

The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) has showcased work to Hong Kongers and visitors since 1962. It was the city’s first publicly edified art museum. The HKMoA occupies a vantage point: it is located in the business district of Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon, at 10 Salisbury Road – a short stroll from the Star Ferry Pier. It benefits from the prime waterfront development area that catalyzes transport and tourism.

Ever since, the HKMoA has been at the forefront of the development of Hong Kong’s cultural identity, providing a space for artists and collectors. With the rise of Hong Kong’s art patrons, the HKMoA is also constantly growing.

Much of the HKMoA’s permanent collection, which includes more than 17,000 pieces, reflects an eclectic mix of styles, from pre-modern to contemporary, from Hong Kong and mainland China as well as farther afield.

Four core collections anchor the museum:

#1 - Modern and Hong Kong Art: Nearly every leading Hong Kong artist can showcase their avant-garde abstract pieces; this collection houses new acquisition schemes.

#2—Chinese Antiquities. Be amazed by Chinese works from years ago. Beautifully crafted porcelain, jade, bronze, lacquerware, and embroidery were used practically, hence the ownership seals and Imperial marks.

#3—Chinese Painting and Calligraphy: Classical ink wash painting coexists with cutting-edge 21st-century artworks, from the vibrant Chinese characters to the brushwork that lines them.

#4 - China Trade Art: This collection emphasizes the city’s role as a port, while the diversity of items on display reflects its long history as a trading center. Chinese export art stands alongside early works by Western artists on Asian themes.

Displayed Works

Free general admission to the HKMoA allows large audiences to view art pieces. Partnering with museums worldwide, the HKMoA hosts temporary shows; notable examples include works by Monet and Picasso from Paris’s Musee d’Orsay.

Notable Exhibitions

The Biennial Local Exhibitions began with the annual Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition, inaugurated in 1975. This exhibition showcases the latest works by promising artists in new media, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, installation art, photography, and more. In 2009, the event was changed to the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial Awards, a cutthroat juried event with awards in various categories. In addition, HKMoA courts international blockbuster exhibitions that feature works by the biggest names in modern and contemporary art. Visitors have gawked at the works of Monism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Postmodernism.

Branch Museums

The HKMoA also administers the Salisbury Road location and branch museums, with one of the most popular being the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in Hong Kong Park. It features a collection of more than 600 pieces of Chinese teaware; its bowls, pots, and implements reflect centuries of artistry, some dating back more than 3,000 years to the lives of kings.

For the past 52 years, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has been the premiere art exhibit for Asia’s World City. To visit, check out their website; https://hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/home.html