Having gone into City Hall Exhibition Gallery located physically in the City Hall building right…read morenext door to City Gallery several times to see their public art installations, I only just today wandered into City Gallery. Make note: City Gallery is located in the building on the City Hall campus that is closest to the Harbour...the entrance door faces towards Lung Wo Road. The word gallery insinuates "art" in my head, but this space is literally a gallery of the city (think planning and infrastructure versus paintings and sculptures). Three floors, open for free to the public, showcasing past & present development of Hong Kong. Sustainability, transportation, communication, power, sewer, water, green initiatives...the City Gallery highlights the big strategic picture of how to keep up with growth moving into the modern world with more mainland China people coming to Hong Kong and borders flowing more freely. The City Gallery was virtually void of people during my visit. I was advised by the nice lady working at the desk to start up on the third floor and work your way down. Up on the third floor, I watched a movie (with English subtitles) on three giant screens speaking to what city planning (part & present). It gives you a good understanding of what you will see in the actual gallery. The displays themselves are so/so, but I commend Hong Kong that there is even a gallery like this in the city talking about real urban challenges. This spot seems geared towards kids and students to teach them about urban planning (certainly there is a need to employ them now and in the future in this every evolving city). There were several kid displays and kid activities on each floor. Many of the displays are at a lower height, which leads me to believe that this place is indeed designed for the future minds of Hong Kong.

The Sam Tung UK Museum was significant in architecture and history. And it showed the Hakka culture…read moreand history through the objects, the video clips and so on. We can find some opinions of the visitors towards this museum. According to most of the visitors, the Sam Tung UK museum is worth to visit as it presenting the Hakka history and cultural. Most of them praised the exhibition there was "great", "excellent" and they enjoyed the visiting and also, stated that they would come again and encourage their friends to come here as the exhibition was "informative". Moreover, the exhibition and also the museum itself can let the visitors know more about the development of Tsuen Wan and Hakka culture, for example, a visitor has stated that the video clips and the displays made him know more about the Hakka culture such as the Hakka women, the traditional Hakka snacks and the architecture characteristic of Hakka people. The Sam Tung UK museum was a place to display the Hakka culture and history because Sam Tung UK itself was the heritage for the Hakka lived in the past. However, there were some limitations in presenting the Hakka culture. The Government should make some changes to eliminate those weaknesses. Also, the exhibition such as the Rice agricultural was displayed since 2008. It should be changed to another and thus to catch the attention of more visitor. It stills a good place for us to connect the history and culture of Hakka. When I have visited here, I really had that feeling. It is so amazing and I feel great to connect the history here.

A very much underrated museum…read more Railway has been an integral part of the life of a lot of people, especially on the Kowloon side. Despite the fact that the original KCR (Kowloon-Canto Railway) served less people and had less stations than her little brother underground, they certainly had a much longer and richer history (KCR started operating since 1910, MTR started operating since 1979), and this place is a perfect spot for showcasing a snippet of it. The museum was the original Tai Po Market Station, as you could see the main part of the station entrance was preserved. It somehow shows the significant of the old stations, as there are only four stations in the whole KCR system that haven't changed their the locations nor names in the last 100 years. One of the other notable change was the Kowloon station, which was originally located at the Clock Tower you can see now in TST. Now other than walking on the railway and pretending you are in Taiwan, you can also hop on to some of the old, discommissioned trains. Some were meant to be coal-powered, and some were meant to be diesel-powered (me think). I do remember that when I was young (like VERY young, okay?), KCR replaced all the trains to be powered by electricity. But I was so confused (remember? I was young!) why the hell you'd like to have 電器化火車 (as in, "household appliance-ified" trains) which it actually meant 電氣化火車 (railway electrification system). Oh boy. I could totally imagine my kids would ask why do we even call it 火車 (like, "fire car"). Anyway, you are free to take pictures here, exceptional for events, commercial purpose, or wedding. I'm sure the "wedding" part was added later on as it was a overly popular place to take wedding pictures, and people practically affect the normal operation of the museum.

The Hong Kong Railway Museum is the site of the original Tai Po Market Station, built in 1913…read more When the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) went from 'choo choo' to 'swoosh' in 1983, Tai Wo and Tai Po Market station opened up to the north and south of this site, thus making it redundant as a working station. (Historical note: the KCR went 'doot doot' in 1997.) Now, the site is for people like me who love a bit of history, and who love their locomotive 'choo choo' trains. And it's all free! To be honest, the site looks a little fake because everything is restored in its full, vibrant colour, including the entrance of the station which is designed with the Chinese temple architecture. I guess I prefer a little more of the 'crumbling walls and cobwebs' history, but it was good fun walking down the old railway tracks in the open-air. The exhibition room has examples of train tickets and models of the KCR train, including a ticket office that has been restored and refurnished so you can see how it all was back in the day. It won't take you more than an hour to get around the whole museum. It does seem a bit strange that this relatively untouched piece of railway history is rather isolated from other tourist attractions, so I'm not sure how one could make a day of it. Being right next to a hectic local Tai Po street market, you could do a little food market shopping after, I guess? Or you could walk another 15 minutes to Man Mo Temple (in Tai Po). I guess Tai Po in itself is full of other less-touristy stuff to do, but if you're around the area, this little gem might be worth checking out.

Outdoor, public park, free of charge, open spaced, not cramped by Hong Kong highrises, along the…read morewater. Relaxing, cycling, picnicing, busking, dog walking...just being! Absolutely pay the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade and really the West Kowloon Cultural District Park that is emerging in this area a visit. We had cause to be in this area to attend one of the "Freespace Happenings" that takes place the second and fourth Sunday of each month from September to March in the Nursery Park portion of this emerging cultural district. What a great outdoor, open space for all of Hong Kong to enjoy. This was then how we discovered the walking promenade. Not super easy to get to, we took the MTR from Hong Kong on the orange line to Kowloon Station and kind of followed the signs to the West Kowloon Cultural District, that will also get you to the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade. It is maybe a 10-15 minute walk, because you have to take the foot bridge up and over the busy tunnel road. Along the promenade itself, it is lovely. Seemed pretty clean and it was a great view of Hong Kong and the harbour. We kind of meandered around and just enjoyed the outdoor space. There were thousands of people out and about enjoying the day. Wedding photos were being taken, graduation commencement gatherings were around, picnics of friends, people signing as buskers to the public. There are some public toilets up near the nursery portion of the park as well. The West Kowloon Cultural District (as this whole area is formerly called) is in the middle of a huge expansion and build out of M+ Pavillion (run-up facility to opening of art museum itself), M+ Building (the actual modern art museum), Xiqu Centre (for traditional xiqu performaces and cantonese opera), Lyric Theatre Complex (dance & theatre) and Freespace (for concerts and events). So although the promenade is a great outdoor space, just wait. It appears it is literally just the start of some cultural greatness for Hong Kong to come in 2017-2020. So why not stroll over there and check it out now.

Lapping waves, an awesome view across to HK Island, and a cool mixed-use space await you here. I've…read morebeen twice - for HK's Freespace Fest and for a random wandering on my own. Once was during the daytime, and once at night. Both were enjoyable times! You could bring snacks and eat outdoors, or use your selfie-stick for some kick-ass photos. There are also bikes to rent, and relatively clean public toilet facilities. The place doesn't earn more stars, for me, for several reasons. One - because it's quite a walk to get there from the nearest bus stop (there's a large depot underneath Elements) or MTR station. Two - because it has so much unmet potential. There are major plans in the works for this area, and with its prime waterfront location and stunning views, it could be so much more, so I await the upcoming arts and culture complex with bated breath. Three - because the way to get to the actual promenade is, quite frankly, pretty ugly and run-down. Again, there is so much potential! But who wants to walk for 7 minutes past barbed-wire fences and multi-lane highways full of exhaust to get to a pleasant picnic spot? I'll be keeping my eye on the Promenade and hopefully it will transform into something amazing, earning many 5-star reviews :)

Wandered around Wan Chai and noticed the 2F and 3F anime characters outside. Take the elevator up…read moreto the 4th floor and work your way down! Awesome little art galleries and looks pretty new.

When talking about the manga/anime culture, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?…read moreProbably Japanese manga (actually the word Man Nga is derived from the Kanji, that has the same pronunciation and meaning. Kanji are words that entered the Japanese language from ancient China, similar to how certain French had entered the English language system), cosplay (costume play) and the annual Anime-Manga Fair at Exhibition Centre. In fact, comics and animation has been active in many other countries too, for example the American comics of hero stories, the Hollywood/Disney production of (nowadays) computerized animations, the European comics often with political/fine arts themes, the Chinese comics of Sanmao, Chinese animation of folklore stories in Chinese water and ink style(such as Journey to the West, Nezha). Hong Kong , as such a small city in the world also have our own unique comics culture that is simultaneously influenced but different from those in China, Japan or the Western worlds, with a key focus on action, kung-fu, and triads stories, mirroring the success of Hong Kong movie industry. It is quite a refreshing turn of event that the government finally recognizes the importance of popular culture, and the choice of venue for commemorating the development of comics/animation culture in Hong Kong is equally amazing. The 10 no.s of pre-war tenement houses at Mallory Street, affectionately named the green houses after a casual repaint by the government after acquiring them in the 60s, and subsequently categorized as Grade 2 historic building, was chosen for rejuvenation for such purpose. The architectural team chose to gut out the narrow, dark and much deteriorated interiors of typical tenement houses and created a central courtyard area, as public space for the community, as if a secret garden hidden behind the facades of buildings. The usable space as on one side facing this central courtyard, with 2 bridges linking at third and fourth floor to the façades kept in place on the opposite side. The top two floors are exhibition and event space for rental purpose, whilst shops and restaurants occupies the first 2 floors. The most special use here is the Anime/Manga Salon. It is like a reference library, where important pieces of comic works are available for enjoyment within the salon. A good archive and relaxing space. On a side note, the project won the Medal of the Year 2013 and Special Architectural Award 2013 in the community building category, issued by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects.

Really spacious and next to many artworks and displays outside. Has a souvenir shop with…read moreinteresting trinkets and also small business items.

The building's exterior is a major hot spot for Instagram pictures, as is the rest of the…read morepromenade. It really doesn't look like much at first glance, but it looks amazing in photographs. I, personally, have never saw a performance here, but I did go inside to use the restroom. There's also seats in the middle of the lobby, which is absolutely perfect for resting aching feet after strolling around East Tsim Sha Tsui.

Contemporary urban art may not be everybody's cup of tea. Most of the time, it goes right over my…read morehead but every now and then, I would get an inkling of the artist's message. What I find interesting about Oi! is that it is not your conventional art gallery. Oi! is not big. It sits on the corner of Oil Street and Electric Road in Fortress Hill on the island. A century ago, the waterfront was right outside this property. It was logical for the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club to set up base here and operate until the government took over thirty years later in the 1930s. The historic brick buildings are specimens of the post-Victorian Arts and Crafts Architectural Movement. On the day of my visit, the theme was to stimulate our audio, visual, and tactile senses. The artists encouraged people to actually touch their creations. I like when art can be approached from more than one dimension. There was one exhibition room that was stark empty except for a porthole in the floor; and another one in which I had to duck my head because a block TV set was hanging from the ceiling. I also got to interact with other eclectic and obscure art pieces. Unexpectedly, the co-op kitchen was offering visitors complimentary miso soup on site. I guess if wine and hors d'oeuvres are served at the traditional art openings, why not offer hot soup at Oi! The idea was "they cook, you clean" so people had to do the little chore of washing the bowls they had used. I thought that was pretty neat. Everything was cool. Before heading out, I decided to use the restroom. I really wish I hadn't. They were either understaffed or negligent to have left the facility in a ghastly state. It might have been the visitors. What a shame to end my visit this way. For me, Oi! was an experience. I enjoyed the history aspect. I didn't have a full grasp of the pieces I saw but art is subjective. New exhibits rotate in periodically. Maybe next time I'll make a connection with one of them. 3.5

As we were simply walking by, I knew that this was clearly an old set of buildings that had been…read morerestored, but I was not sure what this space was exactly. With the kind staff at the customer service booth that went the extra mile to show me key parts of the facility and pointed out the specifics of the art installation spaces and the Social Gastronomy experiment space, I think I am a bit of a fan of this place. Once an old boat yard and covered mostly by water, this is a perfect example of Hong Kong recycling, reusing and re-purposing public building space. Part museum (with two installations currently: North Point Dream Properties Limited and 7-Paperholic), part social experiment on food with XCHANGE (turning leftovers and seasonal ingredients from participants and neighborhood markets into mouthwatering dishes), part community service/social hub (with talks, lectures, workshops, etc), part historical venue (Oi! is a Grade 2 Historic Building and they provide daily tours at 2:30pm, 4:45pm and 6:30pm daily). Art is really the driving factor for me with Oi!, but clearly their aim is really to connect with the community on a socially conscious level much greater than just art. But if you are not driven by social matters, note that admission to Oi! is free. The space is not large, but there is intellectually a lot going on to absorb at Oi! Although I did not have time to really understand all pieces of this space, I took a Oi! newspaper to go and have visited their website to sign up for news and events going on here. I will absolutely return to discover a bit more.

The Airport Core Programme Exhibition Centre is situated along the shore on Castle Peak Road, come…read morehere on a fine autumn day and you will enjoy uninterrupted views of Tsing Ma Bridge, Hong Kong Island and the airport in a distance. The house itself was actually built in the 1930s and had been used by a former financial secretary as official residence. The Centre was situated here for a reason: this is one of the very few places where you could actually see all the core programme projects- the Ting Kau Bridge, Tsing Ma Bridge, North Lantau Expressway and of course the airport. This was a project that is still unmatched for size and we are now enjoying the fruits of previous investment. The halls are split into several sections which displays and demonstrates the various components to the core project. The visions seemed impossible back then but when you think about it: we are living the vision now. The airport has moved for some 15 years and everything has been in place for just as long. This bring me back to the point that this exhibition centre now seems obsolete because everything has been in use so long. I would hope that this exhibition centre could be maintained though some updating would be a nice thing to keep it relevant.