Hong Kong Museum of Art

History

The museum was established as the City Hall Museum and Art Gallery in the City Hall in Central by the Urban Council on 2 March 1962. This was split into the Hong Kong Museum of History and the Hong Kong Museum of Art in July 1975.

The Museum of History moved to Kowloon Park in 1983. Before leaving City Hall in 1991, the art museum occupied the 8th (rear portion), 9th, 10th, and 11th storeys of the High Block. These floors now house a public library. In 1991, it was moved to the present premises at 10 Salisbury Road, near the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum, in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The new museum was formally inaugurated by Governor Chris Patten on 11 September 1992.

The museum closed on 3 August 2015 for a $400 million expansion and renovation. It reopened on 30 November 2019.

Exhibitions

The museum changes its displays regularly. The exhibitions in the museum are mainly of paintings, calligraphy and sculpture from Hong Kong, China and other parts of the world. It has cooperated with other museums as well.

From 25 May to 4 July 1962, the museum (then still named the Hong Kong City Hall Museum and Art Gallery) held the major exhibition, Hong Kong Art Today. It was significant as the first exhibition with Hong Kong art as its theme. The exhibition also reflected how naturalism in art had become passé and that abstract art was favoured at that moment in time.

Since 1975, the museum has hosted the Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition featuring the work of contemporary Hong Kong artists. It was renamed the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial Awards in 2009.

Transportation

The museum is within walking distance of both East Tsim Sha Tsui station and Tsim Sha Tsui station of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). It is even closer to the Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier, with services to Wan Chai and Central.

References

References

1. "New initiatives for the museums of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department".
2. 黎家怡. (2020-08-05). "【何慶基榮休專訪】志趣逢時 回流策展教學逾三十年". [[立場新聞]].
3. (2015). "與香港藝術對話：1980-2014". [[Joint Publishing]].
4. "Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware".
5. (2024). "The 'death' and 'rebirth' of museums in colonial Hong Kong: three decades of community endeavours to restore reputation and culture, 1933–1962". Taylor & Francis.
6. (16 July 2015). "Hong Kong Museum of History to celebrate 40th anniversary with public". Information Services Department.
7. (5 October 1991). "Hong Kong Museum of Art, Designation of Premises as a Museum and as a Civic Centre". Urban Council.
8. (14 February 2013). "Museum of Art to get a facelift". South China Morning Post.
9. (12 May 2014). "Expansion and Renovation of the Hong Kong Museum of Art". Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs.
10. "Breaking News! Hong Kong Museum of Art is about to Close for a Makeover!". Hong Kong Museum of Art.
11. (30 November 2019). "Hong Kong Museum of Art to reopen to public on Saturday after four years of expansion and renovations". South China Morning Post.
12. 鄭, 蕾. (2016). "香港現代主義文學與思潮". 中華書局(香港)有限公司.
13. (7 July 2010). "Global Gloss, but Where Is Hong Kong's Local Art Scene? (Published 2010)". The New York Times.
14. "Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial Awards 2009 record for Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition catalog". Asia Art Archive.