The 8 best free things to do in Hong Kong

19.02.2024 - 22:23 / lonelyplanet.com / Art

​Hong Kong is not a cheap place to visit. But with good planning, a bit of creativity and an eye for beauty, you can spend an enjoyable day in the city for very little money.

Besides parks, beaches, temples and the usual suspects, free art and music abound in this sophisticated, fast-paced metropolis. And sometimes a well-curated walk in a storied neighborhood can be as richly rewarding as a trip to any museum.

So if your wallet is feeling a little light, make the most of our choice of the best free things to do in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Museum of Art underwent a four-year, $120-million makeover, reopening in late 2019 with a sleek new look; today it's home to over 18,800 pieces, making it one of the best places to see art in Hong Kong. Pre-register online for a free visit on a Wednesday and see HKMOA’s highlights: modern and contemporary Hong Kong art, China trade art, and of course, the views of Victoria Harbor through spotless floor-to-ceiling windows.

Also by the harbor but over in West Kowloon, the new Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) (also free on Wednesdays with pre-registration online) showcases 1000 artifacts on loan from Beijing’s Palace Museum. The relics range from bronzeware and painting to objets d’art belonging to the emperors.

At the time of writing, several public museums have waived their admission fees. Check the websites for the latest information before you go. 

Tai Kwun, Hong Kong’s behemoth heritage and arts complex, is a delight to visit even if you bypass the charging gallery and upscale restaurants. The neoclassical police station-magistracy-prison-in-one complex (c.1840s) has been meticulously restored with extensions added by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. You can roam freely in most of the 18 blocks to learn about the site’s history and enter the prison cells. Leave time for shooting a panoramic video in the majestic square that was the parade ground.

From Tai Kwun, a five-minute saunter takes you to PMQ, where artist studios, artisans’ workshops and souvenir boutiques have taken over two blocks of former police quarters (c.1950s). Wander through the airy corridors from the top floor down, and have a peek at the exhibits in the square below.

If you use the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator on your way to or from Tai Kwun, you’ll pass by Central Market, a multi-story retail complex reimagined from a 1930s fresh food market in the Streamline Moderne and Bauhaus style. Check to see if gigs and exhibitions are on, apart from displays about the site’s history. 

The charming Tai Ping Shan St neighborhood deserves a visit either on a detour from Tai Kwun or PMQ, or on its own. From Hollywood Road, turn into Ladder St when you see Man Mo Temple (or have a look inside before turning – it’s