Hong Kong Museum of History

The Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui East holds the main public collection covering the natural history, archaeology, ethnography and social history of Hong Kong, and for two decades its permanent exhibition, The Hong Kong Story, walked visitors through everything from the geology of the territory to reconstructed streets of shophouses, a fishing junk and a traditional Punti and Hakka display. That gallery closed in 2020 for a long redevelopment and a condensed version has been shown in its place while work continues, so what is open changes; checking the museum's current programme before travelling matters more here than at most sites. Temporary exhibitions run alongside and are often strong.

What you actually see

• Reconstructed shophouse streets - the social history displays of the main gallery.
• Ethnographic material - Punti, Hakka, Tanka and Hoklo collections.
• Natural history and archaeology - the territory before the city.
• Temporary exhibitions - the programme running while redevelopment continues.

When to go

Year round. Two to three hours. Closed Tuesdays. Check the current state of the permanent gallery before making a special trip.

Honest expectations

The main permanent exhibition has been closed for years and the substitute is much smaller; visitors expecting the full Hong Kong Story are regularly disappointed. Some temporary exhibitions are ticketed. The building is dated.

Nearby

The Science Museum is adjacent; Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront lies west.