The best things to do in Hong Kong today

Hong Kong’s annual winter celebration returns to Central Harbourfront this December, paying tribute to Hong Kong’s cultural heritage with performances from local talents, local cuisine, and photo ops inspired by the city’s beloved landmarks and neighbourhoods. As always, thrilling rides, carnival games, and limited-edition prizes at over 30 different attractions await you, as well as Gandeys Circus’ brand-new winter-themed show, “The Winter World Circus,” a new act that adds a delightfully frozen flair to Gandeys’ signature choreo numbers and acrobatics.  AIA Carnival will take place at Central Harbourfront from December 22, 2025 to March 1, 2026.

A new exhibition at M+ showcases 12 immersive installations by pioneering women artists from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, including three new works by Asian artists. Dream Rooms: Environments by Women Artists 1950s–Now emphasises the multisensory experience of art and highlights women’s contributions to installation art, a field often overshadowed by male artists. Visitors can actively engage with the environments, which include nine historic pieces that have been painstakingly reconstructed, such as Aleksandra Kasuba’s Spectral Passage (1975), which invites individuals to journey through interconnected nylon structures as a metaphor of the life cycle; Judy Chicago’s Feather Room (1966), an all-white space filled with 300 pounds of feathers; and more. M+ will also host talks with co-curators Andrea Lissoni and Marina Pugliese to discuss the concept behind the exhibition, and a panel discussion with the three Asian artists whose new, commissioned work is part of Dream Rooms. Additionally, M+ Cinema will screen three documentaries about some of the exhibited artists to supplement the show.

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.

The golden age of Hong Kong cinema saw the production of blockbuster titles like A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Conman (1998), and Infernal Affairs (2002). Packed with action, suspense, and good ol’ “nonsense” humour, these iconic crime films not only offer gripping stories but also capture the essence of life in 70s and 80s Hong Kong. Now, cinephiles can relive their favourite scenes from these classics at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station. ‘Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey’ delves into local cop film classics through reconstructed sets, collectibles, original scripts, and much more.  This nostalgic exhibition is now open at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, 627 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei. Tickets are priced at $30 per person, with concessionary tickets available at $10 per person. Children aged six or below can enter the exhibition for free. Make sure to book your tickets online at cultural.cityline.com, as there will not be tickets onsite. Find out more at fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk. 

Head to the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) to find our city’s first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Mughal art. The Mughal empire was one of the world’s most powerful kingdoms that encompassed much of modern-day Indian, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, ruling from the 16th to the 17th centuries. Though they ruled a mainly Hindu population, the Mughals were Muslim with Mongol origins, and were known for their rich culture and architecture – the Taj Mahal is one such legacy from this empire. Over 100 artefacts from the golden age of the Mughal dynasty, from paintings and jewellery to weaponry, architectural segments, and even some rare surviving textiles from this period are now on show – Hong Kong is this exhibition’s only Asia venue after its London premiere in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Under the rule of three emperors, the Mughal court greatly fostered artistic development and embraced cross-cultural influences, shown here in jade pieces that have incorporated motifs from the Chinese court. Highlights include a casket with mother-of-pearl inlays, a thumb ring from Emperor Akbar’s reign with western enamelling that shows the Mughal court’s hybrid aesthetic, and a beautiful dagger sheath and hilt lavishly decorated with gold and red gemstones. ‘Treasures of the Mughal Court’ runs until February 23, 2026, and tickets are priced from $150 which also grants access to HKPM’s thematic exhibitions in galleries one to seven.

‘Luminous Neon’ is a new exhibition at the DX Design Hub in Sham Shui Po that shares the radiant world of neon signage and the beauty of the traditional art form with visitors for a dose of nostalgia and collective reminiscing. Presented by the Hong Kong Design Centre, Serious Staging, and Tetra Neon Exchange, ‘Luminous Neon’ brings together a collection of painstakingly restored neon signs and new creations, creating a visual dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and modern creativity.  Endlessly photographable but balanced with educational and informative elements, the exhibition contrasts the different generational approaches to neon art and its legacy as an enduring cultural symbol of Hong Kong. Check out the historic ‘Golden Phoenix Restaurant’ and legendary ‘Tai Ping Koon Restaurant’ signs that once illuminated two of the city’s most prominent soy sauce western establishments, the ‘Nam Cheong Pawn Shop’ with its unique silhouette, and the Ray-Ban-shaped ‘Tai Cheong Eyeglasses’ sign, and more, all of which highlight the hard-earned skills of neon masters.

Island Shangri-La and Shangri-La Fuzhou are joining forces from January 15 to 17 for an exclusive lunch and dinner collaboration at Ming Pavilion to present an elevated take on Huaiyang, Minnan, and Fuzhou cuisines, inviting chef Ma Xupeng of Shangri-La Fuzhou’s one-Michelin-star Jiangnan Wok · Rong to Hong Kong for the occasion. Chef Ma and Ming Pavilion’s chef Jack Lam have designed a five-course lunch menu ($488 per person, $688 with tea pairing) that includes Minnan-style marinated cucumber, chilled baby geoduck, steamed threadfin fish with red wine lees sauce, and red braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens and octopus, wok-fried fish noodles, and fish maw in yellow croaker ‘lion head’ soup, preserving the essence of Huaiyang flavours. With the eight-course dinner menu ($988 per person, $1,188 with tea pairing, $1,488 with wine pairing), chef Ma and chef Lam will wow diners with Yongchun aged vinegar crispy eel, crab meat tartare with Xiapu seaweed and caviar, crispy skin eight treasure ginger duck, and brown sugar lotus root starch, Wensi tofu, and four-fruit dessert soup, on top of centrepieces from the lunch menu, such as the threadfin, pork belly, and fish maw.

Running until February 20, 2026 at Tai Kwun, ‘Book of Changes: The Art of Basil Pao’ is a thematic photography exhibition that explores the profound impact of the ancient I Ching text on Chinese life and cultural heritage through abstract visual dialogue. As one of the Five Classics in Chinese literature, the I Ching – also known in translation as the Book of Changes – is a divination and philosophy text that fortune-seekers refer to for moral guidance and wisdom. Basil Pao is best known for his photography work on Michael Palin’s BBC travel programmes, which were later published as large-format books. In this exhibition of images, he interprets the concepts explained in the I Ching through two photography series: The Great Walls of China and Glimpses of Silence. If your curiosity is roused by the I Ching and you’d like to gain a glimpse into the future, you can seek your own fortune through the ‘Consulting the Book of Changes’ interactive experience on-site. Visitors can also pick up an exclusive postcard featuring artwork from Pao’s The Great Walls of China photography series as a keepsake. If you’re a TK Fan member, you can make use of Tai Kwun’s special mailing service – just scribble down your message on the postcard and send it off to a local address!

‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Art Plaza Project at the Hong Kong Palace Museum’ is a multimedia initiative that takes traditional Chinese garden aesthetics as the main inspiration. The project features large installations by five local artists and an architect, each creative bringing a unique contemporary interpretation of traditional zen garden elements to the showcase, where iconic pavilions, flowing water, and aesthetic rock formations are reimagined with materials found in our bustling city, such as bamboo, metal, and fabric.  This exhibition will be open to the public until November 2, 2026 at the Museum Plaza at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Entry is free of charge during the museum’s opening hours. 

Bringing the French galette des roi tradition to life in Hong Kong, steak frites restaurant La Vache! offers its interpretation of this classic pastry across its branches for dine-in and takeaway while reimagining this ritual with an enticing lucky draw.  From now until January 31, diners who discover a fève inside their slice of galette des roi – King’s Cake – stand a chance to win two round-trip tickets to Paris! To enter the draw, simply share your discovery on Instagram while tagging the restaurant and using the hashtag #LaVacheRoyals.