The best things to do in Hong Kong today

Hong Kong bakery and confectionery manufacturer Garden is approaching its 100th anniversary at the end of this year, and they’ve launched a pop-up exhibition and store, adorably designed like a tour through its factory. From refreshed versions of nostalgic snacks and culinary experiences to collaborations with local streetwear brands, the ‘Every Bites Tells a Story’ event is a love letter to the iconic food brand that has literally fed and nurtured generations of Hongkongers. Find clothing and accessories created with Grocery and Aim Higher Club featuring retro patterns and motifs from Garden’s archives from the 50s to 80s; exclusive chocolate finger snacks and Cantonese dishes reimagined into savoury buns; memorabilia from the confectioner’s century-old history; and a series of cute plushie keychains shaped like Garden’s bestsellers. This is a trip down memory lane that will make you hungry.

The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is arguably one of Hong Kong's most unique festivals, where thousands of locals and tourists gather on the island to celebrate traditional festivities such as the Piu Sik parade and Bun Scrambling competition.  This year, the event kicks off with a Climbing Carnival on May 10, where the public is invited to enjoy fun activities including stall games, handicraft workshops, a variety of performances, climbing demonstrations, and more. Then, on May 24 and 25, the finale of the iconic Bun Scrambling Competition will take place, where participants must climb giant bamboo towers covered with buns while trying to grab and stuff as many of them in their bag as possible. Yes, it's as weird and exciting as it sounds. Don't miss the chance to experience this unique piece of cultural heritage that's been celebrated for over a century!

Tim Ho Wan is dialling back the clock at its K11 Art Mall branch with a one-night-only ‘Nostalgic Cantopop Dim Sum Party’ on Saturday, May 23. Running from 7pm to 10pm, the evening promises a trip through the golden age of Hong Kong teahouses, featuring a curated soundtrack of iconic Cantonese hits from the 1960s to the 2000s. For $500 per person, guests can indulge in unlimited servings of selected dim sum, desserts, and beverages – including a bottle of the brand's own beer – alongside five signature dishes from the limited-time ‘Nostalgic Dim Sum Series’. Registration is now open, but spaces are exclusively for those who have dined at Tim Ho Wan within the past 30 days, so get eating!

In a landmark collaboration between the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) of Egypt, 250 treasures and relics from the land of the Pharaohs will be on display in Hong Kong for nine and a half months. Named ‘Ancient Egypt Unveiled’, this exhibition is the largest, most comprehensive, and longest-running display of ancient Egyptian artefacts Hong Kong has ever seen, displaying archaeological finds loaned straight from Egypt, many of which are being shown outside of their home country for the very first time. Some of our favourite highlights include a set of canopic jars used to store internal organs in the mummification and burial process; statues of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut and Rameses II; painted coffins of wood and stone; a Book of the Dead papyrus scroll; and even an ancient Egyptian toilet seat. Swing by the gift shop to find a wide range of Egypt-related merch, including an adorable series of blind box plushies created by HKPM which depict pharaohs, canopic jars, mummies, and more.

Taiwanese lifestyle platform Everyday Object is making its overseas debut in Hong Kong with a curated three-month pop-up at East Hong Kong’s Domain (1/F). Running from now to July 31, the residency showcases a collection of over 60 independent brands from both Taipei and Hong Kong, with each month dedicated to a specific theme: travel in May, office life in June, and the home in July. Visitors can browse an array of niche design goods, ranging from vegan skincare to handcrafted accessories and even yuenyeung-flavoured canned cheesecakes. There’ll also be a limited-time coffee takeover by Taichung-based Sumugaga Coffee Roasters, where you can download the Scannow app to get a five percent discount on a special Taichung pourover and unlock a digital map of the city’s best-kept creative secrets. Whether you are hunting for rare Taiwanese accessories or simply looking for a fresh shot of caffeine and inspiration, this three-month pop-up has everything under one roof.

Festival Walk has teamed up with homegrown label Kyubi and the official Michael Jackson estate for a stylish pop-up that pays tribute to the forever King of Pop. Fans can explore an impressive display of MJ memorabilia – including old records, magazine covers, books, and stage photos – and snap pics by a giant vinyl-themed installation. To take a piece of the magic home, nearly 20 limited-edition fashion items are making their Asia debut, ranging from an exquisitely crafted cardigan and embroidery art crewneck in the King of Pop series to vintage tees, hoodies, and bomber jackets inspired by hits like Billie Jean, Thriller, and Smooth Criminal. The store is only sticking around until May 29, so don’t miss out.

M+ in West Kowloon Cultural District is honouring the late Ryuichi Sakamoto with a museum-wide programme from now until July. Comprising a site-specific installation, moving image works, a listening experience, and film, ‘Seeing Sound, Hearing Time’ celebrates the enduring legacy of the Japanese composer, producer, and artist. ‘Async–Immersion’ presents a three-dimensional, audio-visual representation of Sakamoto’s personal album, combining sonic experience with optical immersion. Nam June Paik’s ‘All Star Video’ explores Sakamoto’s influences and creative encounters, while ‘Vinyl Sessions with Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto’ allows visitors to engage with his compositions, alongside reflections on his work from three Hong Kong-based sound artists. Additionally, ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Music in Film’ will screen two films to allow for an intimate look into Sakamoto’s life, profound artistry, and innovative creative process.

The Hong Kong Design Centre presents ‘From Memory to Horizon: The Visual Language of Hong Kong Tourism’, now on view at The Design Museum, DX design hub. Spanning seven decades, the exhibition showcases how Hong Kong has shaped its global image since the 1950s through design, imagery and storytelling. Featuring a rich selection of rare cross-disciplinary visual archives, it highlights the close collaboration between tourism, aviation, hospitality, and the creative industries in defining the city’s identity as an international metropolis.  Organised into five thematic zones, the exhibition is led by designer David Lo as lead curator, joining hands with design artefact collector John Wu as co-curator. The zones explore the evolution of Hong Kong’s names and typographic expressions, the dual notion of the city as both ‘home’ and ‘destination’, its portrayal through cinematic visual culture, the East-meets-West character embedded in hotel branding, and the natural landscapes beyond the urban skyline.  Through posters, illustrations and advertisements, visitors are invited to revisit a pre-digital era when Hong Kong captured global attention through the power of visual creativity. The exhibition runs until July 6, 2026, with free admission. Opening hours: 11am – 7pm (Closed on Tuesdays, except Public Holidays)   Venue: The Design Museum, 2/F, DX design hub, 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po

This spring, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum is hosting a two-part exhibition that combines interactive multimedia with a collection of rare historical treasures. The first section, Meet Mona Lisa, uses an immersive multimedia installation to follow the five-hundred-year journey of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, featuring a personal narration from the lady herself. The second half, Portraying the Renaissance, showcases over 100 precious works from leading European institutions, including four of da Vinci’s original manuscripts on the human body and faces exhibited in Hong Kong for the first time. The exhibition runs from May 1 to July 27, 2026, and is completely free to enter from 10am to 6pm on weekdays (except Tuesdays) and until 7pm on weekends and public holidays.

Step into a world where imperial grandeur meets Impressionist beauty at ‘Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West, a massive new showcase at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Bringing together more than 100 sets of rare artefacts and paintings from the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Palace of Versailles, the exhibition explores how nature has been shaped and celebrated by kings, scholars, and artists alike. The real highlight is the arrival of Claude Monet’s iconic Water Lilies (1906) and Water Lily Pond (1900), which are on loan from Chicago for a limited time. Alongside works by masters like Zhang Daqian and Wen Zhengming, visitors can wander through an immersive display and interact with virtual wine cups in a digital recreation of the famous Orchid Pavilion Gathering. Running until July 29 at HKMoA’s Special Gallery, the exhibition is completely free to enter – so there’s really no excuse not to visit.