Eclectic Scene: A Cache Of Cultural Attractions

Now that Hong Kong is welcoming travelers to visit without requiring the 0+3 quarantine, here’s a list of where to go to get your arts and culture fix.

Arts and culture lovers are invited to explore Asia’s World City and immerse in art-lined streets, traditional and modern architecture, museums, galleries and exhibibitions, and the performance arts. Here’s a list of where to explore during your next visit.

Modern Art Appreciation

Highly anticipated by art enthusiasts, M+ is one of the world’s largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture situated in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Its collections from Asia and beyond encompass visual art, design, architecture, and moving images while offering a creative interactive experience. In addition to art, you can enjoy shopping and dining, as well as take in spectacular views of Hong Kong’s stunning skyline on the Roof Garden.

READ ALSO: Tourism Revival: Hong Kong Allows Tour Groups In November

Last month, M+ celebrated its first anniversary with the Special Exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now.” From Kusama’s earliest works to her most recent creations, this exhibition features a vast array of artworks with six themes: Infinity, Accumulation, Radical Connectivity, Biocosmic, Death, and Life Force.

Last month, M+ celebrated its first anniversary with the Special Exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now.”

If you haven’t been to the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) yet, now is the perfect time to visit. Located at Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, HKMoA features a wide world of contrasts, from old to new, Chinese to Western, local to international, providing a refreshing way of looking at tradition and making art relevant to everyone, and creating new experiences and understanding.

This year, HKMoA is marking its 60th anniversary by “Celebrating the Uncelebrated”, a showcase of well-known artists alongside some of their lesser-known works from the museum’s four core collections: Chinese Antiquities, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, China Trade Art, and Modern and Hong Kong Art.

Immersion in Cultural Heritage

For aficionados of Chinese art and culture, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) will indulge your creative senses with its showcase of priceless treasures.

HKPM regularly presents special exhibitions featuring Chinese art and culture, as well as art and treasures from other parts of the world. Located on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, HKPM comprises nine galleries and presents nearly 1,000 priceless treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing. Many of them are on display in Hong Kong for the first time, while others have never been shown to the public before.

Beginning last month, Hong Kong is hosting a plethora of art world heavyweights as Hong Kong Palace Museum opens Odysseys of Art: Masterpieces Collected by the Princes of Liechtenstein exhibition.

Opened in May 2018, Tai Kwun is one of Hong Kong’s significant revitalization projects. The site comprises three Declared Monuments of Hong Kong – the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy, and Victoria Prison, all have been meticulously conserved while paying close regard to authenticity. Tai Kwun, which means “big station” in Chinese, is the colloquial name used by Hong Kong people to refer to the former police headquarters and the surrounding compound. The name has been adopted as a reminder of the historical importance of this living heritage site.It also delights visitors with free lunchtime concerts, evening openings, and a stellar line-up of F&B outlets.

Tai Kwun, which means “big station” in Chinese, is the colloquial name used by Hong Kong people to refer to the former police headquarters and the surrounding compound.

Indulging in Performance Arts

Built with the aim of preserving and showcasing the traditional performing art form of Cantonese opera, Xiqu Centre is an award-winning venue showcasing world-class productions of Cantonese opera and other regional forms of Chinese opera (xiqu).

Xiqu Centre is an award-winning venue showcasing world-class productions of Cantonese opera and other regional forms of Chinese opera (xiqu).

The larger of its two theaters, the Grand Theatre, features performances by some of the best troupes in the region. Meanwhile, the more intimate Tea House Theatre is home to the signature Tea House Theatre Experience – a narrated performance of Cantonese opera excerpts perfect for new audiences. 

Hong Kong has some of the best mural clusters in the world, with many local and international artists leaving their mark in the form of captivating wall art. There are hidden gems everywhere you turn if you know where to look, from the passageways of Peng Chau Island to the murals at Wan Chai and Sai Ying Pun that are hidden in plain sight. 

Artlane at Sai Ying Pun

The murals are refreshed occasionally by famous street artists and various art groups like HKwalls, a non-profit arts organization that aims to create opportunities for local and international artists to showcase their talent in Hong Kong through street art and street culture.

Visit New Adventures at Every Turn for more updates.

Photos courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board.

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