Here is a summer-holiday plan that keeps both the kids and the grown-ups happy: a morning of pharaohs and mummies, an afternoon ink-painting class, and air conditioning throughout. The Hong Kong Palace Museum (香港故宮文化博物館) in West Kowloon has built its summer 2026 programme around exactly that idea, wrapping a run of family workshops and after-hours adventures around its blockbuster Ancient Egypt show. If you are looking for things to do with children when the city turns sticky, this is one of the easiest wins in town.
In This Guide
Why the Palace Museum is a smart summer day out
Hong Kong summers are hot, humid and prone to sudden downpours, which makes a big, cool, content-rich museum a parent's best friend. The Palace Museum is part of the West Kowloon Cultural District, so a visit drops you beside the harbourfront Art Park and a short walk from M+ — a full day out without ever fighting for a taxi in the heat.
What makes 2026 special is the timing. The museum's record-breaking Egyptian exhibition is in its final stretch, and the school holidays have been seeded with hands-on programmes pitched squarely at families. In other words, you are not just looking at glass cases; there is something for the children to make, dig up or decode.
For more rainy-season backups nearby, our guide to beating the heat with indoor activities in Hong Kong and our wider list of the best kid-friendly activities in Hong Kong map out the rest of the options.
What is the Palace Academy Summer Art-venture Series?
The museum's education hub, Palace Academy, runs a seasonal line-up of workshops and camps called the Summer Art-venture Series. For 2026 most of it draws on the ancient Egypt theme, with a couple of Chinese-art sessions in the mix. Everything needs booking in advance, and places are limited, so plan early. Here are the confirmed dates from the museum.
Adventure Night @HKPM (7–8 August)
The headline experience is an after-hours visit where costumed characters inspired by ancient Egypt guide families through the galleries once the doors have closed to the public. Through games, children meet key exhibits and pick up the basics of hieroglyphs and daily life along the Nile. It is built for kids aged 5 to 10 with an accompanying adult, and it is the kind of thing they remember long after the holiday ends.
Little Archaeologists Summer Camp (2 & 16 August)
This full-day camp lets young visitors play archaeologist for the day: costume play, a guided tour, a simulated excavation, and a craft session making their own animal-themed jars, a nod to the containers used in mummification. It runs on two separate Sundays and suits children aged 5 to 10 with an adult.
Workshops for families and teens
Alongside the marquee events, Palace Academy is running a series of shorter workshops:
Summer 2026 Workshop Dates
- Ancient Egyptian Paper Making (12 July) — turn plants into paper-like sheets and emboss them with Egyptian motifs. Ages 13 and above.
- Decoding Ancient Egyptian Scripts (12 July) — learn to read and write simple inscriptions with an Egyptologist. Ages 13 and above.
- Discover Pyramid (12 & 26 July, 15 August) — step into a pyramid builder's shoes and design a pyramid model that doubles as a marble run. Ages 6 to 12 (under-12s with an adult).
- Horse-themed Chinese Ink Painting (26 July) — study how horses appear in Chinese art, then paint your own. Ages 5 to 15 (under-12s with an adult).
Booking each activity also unlocks a combo: new members can add a one-year "HKPM Friends – Family" membership at a discounted HK$900 (normally HK$1,200) and take 10% off the activity at the same time. More on the membership below.
Which exhibitions should you see with kids?
The summer programme hangs off the exhibitions, so it is worth knowing what is on the walls. Three shows stand out for families this season.
Ancient Egypt Unveiled (until 31 August)
This is the big one, and the reason the whole summer leans Egyptian. "Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums" has already drawn more than 420,000 visitors, and it gathers 250 objects — colossal statues, gold ornaments, painted coffins and animal mummies. Mummies and cat-goddesses are catnip for younger visitors. For the full rundown of what is inside, see our dedicated guide to the Ancient Egypt exhibition in Hong Kong. It closes for good on 31 August, so this really is the last chance.
Treasures of Global Jewellery from The Met (until 19 October)
Co-curated with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, "The Body Transformed" travels nearly 4,000 years and five continents through jewellery and adornment. It is glittering, accessible and easy for children to enjoy at a glance. We cover it in detail in our look at the Met global jewellery exhibition in Hong Kong.
The closing four-year shows (until 13 August)
The museum's two opening exhibitions, "From Dawn to Dusk: Life and Art in the Forbidden City" (Gallery 2) and "The Quest for Originality" (Gallery 5), wrap up on 13 August after four years and a final rotation of exhibits. They sit alongside the newer "The Forbidden City and the World" display, so the permanent galleries are well worth the same ticket.
Tickets, family combos & membership
The ticketing has a few tiers, and getting the right one saves real money for a family. All tickets are sold through the West Kowloon Cultural District's online platforms and the WestK Ticketing channels; here are the verified essentials from the museum.
| Ticket type | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| General Admission (Galleries 1–7) | HK$70 | HK$35 |
| Special Exhibition (Galleries 1–7 + one special gallery) | HK$190 | HK$95 |
| Full Access (Galleries 1–9, both special shows) | HK$250 | HK$125 |
| Family Combo, 2-person (1 adult + 1 child 7–11), Jul/Aug | HK$310 (was HK$375) | |
| Family Combo, 3-person (2 adults + 1 child 7–11), Jul/Aug | HK$500 (was HK$625) | |
A few things worth knowing. Children aged six and under enter free. Concessions cover children aged 7 to 11, full-time students, seniors aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and one companion, and CSSA recipients. As Ancient Egypt Unveiled heads into its final months, the popular "Blind Box + Ticket" combo (from HK$260 adult / HK$165 concession) has returned, pairing entry with an Egypt-themed collectible — a neat bribe for reluctant young museum-goers.
Hong Kong Palace Museum — Visitor Essentials
Note: the ticket office closes one hour before the museum. Confirm prices, dates and workshop availability on the official Palace Museum tickets page before you travel.
If you expect to visit more than once over the summer, the "HKPM Friends – Family" membership is the value play. It is on a limited offer of HK$988 (normally HK$1,200) for sign-ups, rejoins or renewals made in person at the LG/F service counter, and it covers two adults plus a child aged 7 to 11 or a full-time student. Membership brings unlimited entry to the thematic galleries, eight free special-exhibition admissions and member-only viewing hours. Sign up by 31 July 2026 and you also get a collectible — a plush bag charm or, fittingly, a pharaoh cat luggage tag — plus a complimentary docent-led tour of a special exhibition.
How do you get to the Hong Kong Palace Museum?
The museum sits at the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, and the MTR is comfortably the easiest way in with children. Take the train to Kowloon Station (Tung Chung Line or Airport Express) and leave via Exit C1 or D1, then follow the signs through the ELEMENTS mall and across the Artist Square Bridge — about 10 to 15 minutes on foot, much of it air-conditioned. Alternatively, Austin Station (Tuen Ma Line) Exit B4 or B5 brings you in via ELEMENTS in roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
Prefer not to walk far with a buggy? From Austin Station Exit D2 you can hop on the wheelchair-accessible Cultural Express (CX1) shuttle, and there is paid parking on site at 8 Museum Drive. Once you arrive, build in time for the Art Park and harbourfront promenade — and if you are stringing together a bigger weekend, our round-up of the biggest events in Hong Kong this summer sets the museum against the rest of the calendar.
How to do it well
A blockbuster on a deadline plus the school holidays means crowds. A few practical notes to keep the day smooth.
Family Visiting Tips
- Book a timed slot online. Same-day tickets sell at the door while stocks last, but weekends and holidays get busy — reserve ahead through the WestK ticketing platforms.
- Register workshops early. Palace Academy places are limited and the Egypt-themed sessions are popular; lock in dates as soon as you can.
- Go on a weekday morning. The 10am opening is the calmest hour; Friday and Saturday run late to 8pm if an evening visit suits nap schedules better.
- Use the family combo. For two adults and a child, the HK$500 July/August combo beats buying separately.
- Pack light. Large bags are not allowed inside, and lockers near the entrance fill up fast on busy days.
- No flash or selfie sticks. Personal photography is welcome, but flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted in the galleries.
Before You Book
Workshop dates, age limits and prices can change, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays). Book exhibition tickets and Palace Academy activities through the official Hong Kong Palace Museum and WestK channels rather than unofficial resellers, and double-check the details for your chosen day. In a black rainstorm or Typhoon Signal No. 8 the museum closes, so keep an eye on the forecast through our typhoon-prone summer.
Want more nearby ideas for a damp afternoon? Our guide to the best beat-the-heat indoor activities in Hong Kong keeps the rest of the day covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Summer at West Kowloon
Ancient Egypt closes on 31 August and the workshops fill fast. Book ahead, then let YumChaNow keep you across the rest of Hong Kong's summer of art, events and family days out.