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Haven’t taken the kids to the Hong Kong Palace Museum yet? We went on a little field trip to give you first-hand info on museum tickets, exhibitions, child-friendly amenities and also things to do at West Kowloon Cultural District afterwards!
Museums are always a hit with the kids – educational, indoors, inexpensive (sometimes even free!) and well, lots of space to let loose! The Hong Kong Palace Museum houses stunning artefacts from the national Palace Museum at the Forbidden City in Beijing. Expect everything from detailed paintings to intricate craftsmanship and interactive booths – plus plenty of seating areas for when the little ones feel tired! Set aside about two to three hours to explore this museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District with our tips below.
Sassy Mama Tip: Look out for special events or public holidays when kids can enter free!
Read More: The Best Museums In Hong Kong To Visit With Kids
Jump to:
Ticketing, Transport & Opening Hours
Family-Friendly Amenities
Events & Happenings At The Hong Kong Palace Museum
Our Favourite Exhibitions
Things To Do Afterwards At West Kowloon
Hong Kong Palace Museum – Tickets, transport and opening hours
We’ll admit, we were initially confused about the ticketing for the Hong Kong Palace Museum so we’re here to guide you through. There are three main types of tickets; General Admission Ticket which grants access to Galleries 1 to 7, Special Exhibition Ticket to either Gallery 8 or 9 and the Full Access Ticket to view all the galleries.
The special exhibitions in Galleries 8 and 9 rotate from time to time in collaboration with museums across the globe – check ahead in the Hong Kong Palace Museum website to see if it tickles your curiosity. There have been Van Gogh paintings and ancient gold collections in the past.
The tickets are further divided into “Flex Entry” and “Timed Entry”, the only difference being that the Flex Entry allows you entry on any day of the month you purchase the tickets in, while Timed Entry is for those of you who are set on a specific date and time for your visit.
Full breakdown of ticketing for the Hong Kong Palace Museum:
Full Access Ticket (Gallery 1–9): $260 per adult and $130 per child (flex entry); $220 per adult and $110 per child (timed entry)
Special Exhibition only: $180 per adult and $$90 per child (flex entry); $150 per adult and $75 per child (timed entry)
Child ticket is for children aged 7 to 11 and full-time students, kids aged 6 or under can enter for free.
Editor’s Note: It’s best for you to purchase the tickets ahead of your visit as there’s no guarantee for at-the-door tickets and special exhibitions may be sold out for the particular time you’re looking for. Also, some exhibitions may be closed temporarily, you’ll find the notices here.
How To Get To Hong Kong Palace Museum
The West Kowloon Cultural District isn’t the most convenient of places to get to, but it’s definitely worth the commute! From the Island side, the quickest way is to take the train from Hong Kong Station and alight at Kowloon Station and walk over through ELEMENTS. And as for Kowloon, there are a number of KMB and minibus routes, see which mode of transport fits you best here.
Hong Kong Palace Museum Opening Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday: 10am to 6pm
Friday, Saturday, and Public Holiday: 10am to 8pm
The museum is closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Lunar New Year – at-the-door tickets will close one hour before the museum closes.
Read More: Weekend Planner – Activities And Events For Kids And Families In Hong Kong
Family-Friendly Amenities At The Hong Kong Palace Museum
- Lockers to stow any heavy items or strollers
- Foldable chairs available throughout the museum to take a break whenever
- Strollers can also be borrowed on a first-come-first-served basis, only to be used within the building
- Toilets on every floor with foldable nursing beds
- No kid-friendly restaurants per se but you can grab a bite at Cupping Room or Crepes & Bakes both on LG Floor
- There are mobile story carts around the museum with colourful picture books (in Chinese but still colourful!) for kids
Events & Happenings At The Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum regularly hosts workshops and events suitable to do as a whole family. Below are some of the current happenings worth bookmarking:
Adventure Night @HKPM: Family Sleepover
Night at the Museum but make it artsy! Taking place on Tuesday, 6 August from 6.30pm to Wednesday, 7 August 12pm, the experience includes storytime, morning exercises, handicraft workshops, light refreshments and breakfast. The stay costs $1,680 for one child and adult, do note that the event will be in Chinese. Find more details here.
Party at the Palace
Time to pretend you’re in 18th century France! Come dressed in your best historical costumes and explore the glitter and glamour of France with a guided tour to special exhibition ““The Adorned Body” and a hat-making workshop. The experience costs $490 per head and is conducted in Chinese. Find more details here.
Little Collectors
Qing emperors were avid collectors of artefacts which they stored in boxes called “curio boxes”. Think of this workshop as more of a “show and tell” whilst exploring the museum’s exhibitions. Find more details here.
Stay tuned for more events at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Read More: 100 Things To Do In Hong Kong With Kids And Families
Hong Kong Palace Museum Exhibitions And Our Personal Favourites
There are a total of four floors, with Gallery 1 on the ground floor, Gallery 2 on the first, Galleries 3 to 5 on the second, Galleries 6 to 8 on the third and Gallery 9 at the top along with a restaurant and viewing deck. It doesn’t quite matter where you start but making our way up seemed the smoothest with pit-stops at the viewing decks on the second and fourth floors.
There are plenty of seats and foldable chairs all around the museum so you can take a break whenever. Don’t forget to stop by the museum shop on the ground floor to bring home a keepsake!
Editor’s Note: There’s no re-entry once you exit the museum on the ground floor.
Gallery 2 – From Dawn to Dusk: Life in the Forbidden City
Gallery 2 is the largest in the museum and showcases everything from traditional attire, antique clocks and utensils and paintings. Take your time to marvel at the craftsmanship and a taste of royalty with over 300 pieces owned by the emperors and empresses of the Forbidden City in the 18th century.
Gallery 5 – The Quest for Originality: Contemporary Design and Traditional Craft in Dialogue
Bringing about 100 exquisitely designed pieces to the Hong Kong Palace Museum from Beijing, Gallery 5 is a feast for the eyes with contemporary pieces shaped by time-honoured traditions. From vases to candle holders and more clocks (we couldn’t get enough of them!), we loved the spotlight on artisans.
Gallery 6 – Passion for Collecting: Founding Donations to the Hong Kong Palace Museum
Explore prized treasures donated by local collectors and artists ranging from painted ceramics of the Neolithic period from a thousand years ago to gold ornaments, porcelains and more.
Gallery 7 – Dwelling in Tranquility: Reinventing Traditional Gardens
Traditional Chinese gardens have been around for centuries and serve as inspiration for plenty of literature and arts – Gallery 7 takes a more contemporary approach whilst echoing traditional garden philosophy. Though modern, we still found a sense of peace and quiet here.
Read More: Art Classes For Kids – Art Jamming, Chinese Calligraphy & More
Things To Do Near The Palace Museum
If you’re looking to extend your day at West Kowloon, look to exploring the M+ museum for contemporary visual arts or pack a picnic to lounge in the gorgeous grassy areas. Stay until the evening and grab a bite at one of the diners or bring your kids’ bikes along for a cycling sesh – see our guide to the West Kowloon Cultural District for more inspo!
Read More: West Kowloon Cultural District – Restaurants & Things To Do
Editor’s Note: A version of “Explore The Hong Kong Palace Museum: Tickets, Exhibitions & Tips For Kids” was originally published on our sister site Sassy Hong Kong by Fashila Kanakka and was revised and updated for Sassy Mama Hong Kong.
