Hong Kong Museum of History Museum

Address: 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Website: https://hk.history.museum/en_US/web/mh/

Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00am-6:00pm; closed Mondays (open on public holidays)

Admission: HK$10 adult (permanent exhibition); special exhibitions vary; concessions available

The Hong Kong Museum of History is a public museum in Kowloon City District, Hong Kong, established in 1975 and moved into its present building in the late 1990s. It specialises in the human and natural history of the territory.

The museum’s main permanent exhibition, known as The Hong Kong Story, covers roughly 7,000 years of history and uses large-scale dioramas and reconstructions to illustrate daily life, trade and urban development. Temporary galleries rotate exhibits on archaeology, cultural heritage and recent history, and the displays suit both general visitors and researchers.

The institution began as a collection administered by municipal authorities in the 1970s and was consolidated into the current purpose-built museum in the 1990s to house expanded archaeological and historical collections. It has since served as the principal public museum for Hong Kong’s local history.

The museum sits in Tsim Sha Tsui East on the Kowloon peninsula, adjacent to the Hong Kong Science Museum and within easy walking distance of major MTR stations and Kowloon transport links.

• Location tip: Located next to the Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui East, within walking distance of Kowloon public transport hubs.
• Collections focus: The museum’s permanent displays focus on archaeology, ethnography and the 20th-century urban and social history of Hong Kong.

What to See#

• The Hong Kong Story: Main permanent exhibition that presents roughly 7,000 years of local history through dioramas, artefacts and reconstructions including a recreated street scene from early 20th-century Hong Kong.

The museum is a 10-15 minute walk from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station (Exit A1 or E) or a 5-8 minute walk from East Tsim Sha Tsui MTR (Exit L6). Buses along Nathan Road and Chatham Road South stop nearby; taxi drivers will know the address (100 Chatham Road South). From the Star Ferry pier it’s about a 20-minute walk along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade.

• Visit early on weekday mornings to avoid tour groups from the mainland - the permanent Hong Kong Story gallery fills quickly after 11am.
• Head straight to the top floors first; the exhibition is chronological so starting near the end avoids backtracking when the rooms get crowded.
• The museum's mezzanine has tactile displays and documentary footage many visitors miss - allow 30-45 minutes for curated film programs.
• Combine with a walk along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade - it's a 15-20 minute walk past Kowloon Park.