Why you should visit Hong Kong this Spring - and everything to see

The works of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso will be showcased alongside Asian contemporary art in a special exhibition at M+ this spring. More than 60 masterpieces will be displayed in dialogue with approximately 80 works by more than 20 Asian and Asian-diasporic artists. Co-curated with the Musée national Picasso-Paris (MnPP), which holds the largest collection of Picasso's works in the world, this marks the first time that pieces from the MnPP are being shown alongside an Asian museum collection. Picasso for Asia: A Conversation will be on display in Hong Kong from 15 March.

Since last autumn, M+ has also been hosting the first major exhibition in East Asia dedicated to celebrated Chinese couture artist Guo Pei and her decade-spanning career. The exhibition features more than 40 haute couture creations that reflect Asian and global trends over the past century, including Rihanna’s show-stopping yellow gown that she wore to the 2015 Met Gala. The Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination show concludes in early April, so Spring is the perfect time to visit.

The centuries-old tradition of Cantonese opera remains a distinctive part of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage to this day, with performances held year-round. One key venue championing the artform and celebrating the rich heritage of yuet kek Cantonese opera (more commonly called dai hei, meaning the big show) is the Xiqu Centre, Hong Kong’s premier performing arts hub. Renowned for remastering and adapting classic works, the centre also hosts Cantonese opera workshops, where people of all ages can immerse themselves in the traditional art form. During March, the Xiqu Centre has two performances of excerpts from Cantonese opera, one of which stars the famous female lead actor Wan Fai Yin.

The Hong Kong Palace Museum has teamed up with the Palace of Versailles for an extraordinary exhibition, bringing together around 150 magnificent treasures. For the first time in Hong Kong, these two iconic World Heritage Sites will showcase royal artefacts from their courts side by side, offering a rare chance to explore the opulence of the Forbidden City and Versailles in one epic display. Expect portraits, porcelain pieces, glassware, enamelware, textiles, books, scientific instruments, and more. Highlights include a rare chrysanthemum teapot gifted to the Qianlong Emperor, recently revealed to have been made in France and a unique perfume fountain from the Palace of Versailles – the only Chinese porcelain piece Louis XV ever owned. Catch The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries at HK Palace Museum until 4 May.

This March 28-30, Art Basel – a cornerstone of the city’s annual art scene – welcomes 240 galleries from 42 countries and territories, showcasing the best in contemporary art across three days. See film art by Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen, projected onto the façade of M+ as a tribute to Hong Kong’s vibrant film culture and a reimagining of iconic Hong Kong film scenes through animation.

In support of emerging artists, the MGM Discoveries Art Prize will launch its inaugural edition at the fair, awarding a cash prize and the opportunity to exhibit to its first winner in 2025.

With so much art taking over Hong Kong's neighbourhoods, lace up your walking shoes and get exploring. Make a start to your day with a traditional cha chaan teng breakfast before heading to the city's iconic harbourfront where Art Central will be taking over the promenade. From March 26-30 you can catch an extensive roster of artworks and programs from some of Asia’s most innovative galleries. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Art Central will debut Legend, an exhibition paying tribute to six internationally renowned artists who have shaped Asia’s artistic landscape.

Walk through the heart of the city where Hong Kong’s biggest street art festival, HK Walls will brighten the city from March 22-30. A line-up of local and international artists will give the streets a colourful makeover with striking murals, installations, site specific interventions and digital screen takeovers. There’ll also be a range of workshops and parties if you want to get involved.

More than 50 masterpieces from two of Impressionism’s greatest contributors, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, are now on display at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. On loan from the renowned Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, this marks Hong Kong’s first large-scale exhibition dedicated to the pioneering artists. Explore how their lifelong friendship shaped their artistic evolution and inspired future masters, including Pablo Picasso. Cézanne and Renoir Looking at the World — Masterpieces from the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée d’Orsay is on at HKMoA until May 7.

Fill your holiday with art at every turn by staying in one of Hong Kong’s most creative hotels, several of which you can find in Kowloon Peninsula. Rosewood Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui is five-star luxury at its finest. Voted the third-best hotel in the world by 50 Best in 2024, it also houses a stunning private art collection that guests can explore through an exclusive art tour led by the hotel’s resident art ambassador.

At the recently revamped Regent Hong Kong, multidisciplinary designer Chi Wing Lo reimagined the hotel’s architecture, interiors, and furniture while curating an impressive art collection featuring works by acclaimed Hong Kong and international artists.

For an immersive art experience without having to venture outside, The Peninsula Hong Kong is a solid bet. In 2024, it hosted the return of its global "Art in Resonance" program, featuring specially commissioned works by visionary artists displayed throughout the hotel grounds. While details for 2025 remain under wraps, we’re betting it’ll be epic.

Cross the harbour to Hong Kong Island where you’ll find two exceptional hotels. The Hari, originally from London’s Belgravia, enlisted Pontone Gallery to handpick its contemporary art pieces. A walk through the hotel reveals a mix of dream-like photographs, graphic paintings, three-dimensional images, and digital film pieces.

It’s hard to look past The Murray when planning a trip to Hong Kong as the elegantly designed hotel is a masterpiece in itself. Originally built as a government building in the ‘60s, the now luxe hotel is known for its floor-to-ceiling windows, striking archways, and a glamorous rooftop restaurant and bar with city and mountain views.

Whether fine dining or café hopping, Hong Kong’s food scene is a feast for both the eyes and the palate. At Tate Dining Room, a Michelin-starred restaurant blending Chinese cuisine with French influences, chef and owner Vicky Lau treats food as a form of creative expression. Her meticulously crafted eight-course pairing menu features dishes like the lavender perfumed pigeon with Chinese cabbage roll and Sichuan pigeon jus – a stunning balance of flavour and artistry.

Hong Kong’s thriving café culture offers equally artistic experiences. If you’re already heading to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, then don’t forget to make a stop at its Hue restaurant, which is offering an afternoon tea inspired by the Cézanne and Renoir exhibition, in particular, the fruit-filled still-life pieces by both Impressionist masters. Find ham hock terrine paired with grilled pineapple, burrata with torched peach, Dacquoise pastry with coconut and calamansi curd, and a moreish apple tarte tatin made with pink lady apple and vanilla anglaise. The scones also come in a painter’s box alongside little sketchpads and colouring pencils, so you can unleash your own still-life creativity after soaking in the artworks.

Start planning your art trip to Hong Kong in 2025 with more information here.