Celebrate International Museum Day Hong Kong 2014

Rainy days: they just keep on flooding in! If your plan was to cart the kids off to the park this weekend so you can have a small sunbathing sesh, all this black rain has probably thrown that dream out the window. The good news is that Hong Kong is celebrating International Museum Day this weekend which means loads of fun indoor activities to keep the little ones occupied. What’s more, entrance fees are either free or incredibly cheap, so those pennies can be spent on ice cream instead (mamas need treats too!).

The word museum often conjures up images of traipsing round castles with soggy sandwiches and tantrum-ing toddlers, however, the IDM scheme aims to redefine how we see museums and makes visiting such spaces more accessible for modern audiences. It’s a good shout and we’ll be there with our packed lunches and thinking caps on. Here’s our pick of the best museums and exhibitions to visit that are great for kids and parents alike!

Hong Kong Space Museum

Get your space boots on and get the kids down to the Hong Kong Space Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui for some free, interactive learning time. Apart from anything, little ones generally tend to find it quite exciting to be spending a day in a giant egg. It’s an absolutely massive space with hands-on activities spread over four floors, not to mention a huge kids play area! If you’re feeling really lazy, you could always catch a showing at the Omnimax too. You’ll have to pay a little more but after a morning covering the huge space, you might just want to put your feet up…

Where: 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Weekend Hours: 10am-9pm
How Much: Free admission to main exhibition hall 17 and 18, May

Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

There is, perhaps, no lovelier way to spend an afternoon than to devote it entirely to the cause of tea. And where better to do it than at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. A beautiful old colonial building dating back to the 1840’s and set merrily in Hong Kong Park, this museum is a dainty way to spend the day. Think it all sounds a bit grown up? Fear not, the museum has a gorgeous playroom with play tea sets and toys so your little ones can host tea parties to their heart’s content. Be sure to bring along teddy bear pals as they’re perfect high tea companions for your children!

Where: 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong
Weekend Hours: 10am-6pm
How Much: Free admission year-round

Hong Kong Museum of History

Image sourced from Wikipedia

Not just for history buffs, the huge 17,000-sq.-meter Hong Kong Museum of History has something for everyone. Not only is admission free this weekend, but they’re also running a special Fun Fair programme for kids. Skip on up to “The Hong Kong Story” Gallery 6 at either 2:30pm or 4pm to find the fun, but skip fast because it’s on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where: 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Weekend Hours: 10am-7pm
How Much: Free admission 17 and 18, May

Oi!

Last but definitely not least is the lovely Oi! geared towards introducing youth to the world of visual arts. Not only are they unveiling their latest exhibition on IMD weekend but they are running a free herb gardening program for kids and adults to “discover the power of green” in their LOHAS herb garden. An oasis in the madness that is Hong Kong, this is an excellent opportunity for younger ones to connect with organic living and get their green fingers on! Set in the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club that dates back to 1908, it’s going to make for a very grand day out indeed. Courses run from 10am till 6pm, which gives plenty of time to potter about the garden.

Where: 12 Oil Street, Fortress Hill, Hong Kong
Weekend Hours: 10am-8pm
How Much: Free admission 17 and 18, May

The penny saving doesn’t stop there: visit four museums over two days, save up your stamps and make the most of the souvenir redemption scheme. There are tons more offers flying about — check out their website here to find out what else is up for grabs.

Happy Museum Day!