Hong Kong’s best outdoor art spaces: from Tai Kwun to Tamar Park, Victoria Harbour and the West Kowloon waterfront, here’s where to get a dose of culture on the go

Apr 13 , 2024

Tai Kwun in Central has played host to a wide array of art events since it opened in May 2018 – among them, Inner Glow, which in September 2022 saw digital and 3D mapping technology used to project animations and images onto the facades of buildings. Photo: Edmond So

Tai Kwun – the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison compound – provides a space to enjoy art beyond the structured, buyer-driven confines of traditional galleries

TeamLab: Continuous plopped giant fluorescent ‘eggs’ in the harbour, Florentijn Hofman’s Rubber Duck made a big impression in 2023, and the West Kowloon waterfront was once hit by a sea of anthropomorphic grapes

Nearly six years ago, Tai Kwun welcomed the public with a fresh face after extensive renovations that saw it transform from a former police station and prison into a multi-use public space bringing together upscale restaurants and bars, independently run shops, art galleries, and an entire annex dedicated to presenting the arts.

The beautiful architecture of the former Central Police Station compound and its 16 heritage buildings – three of which were given “declared monument” status – alone would have been enough to attract visitors. The repurposed space now includes the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s JC Cube art space and the enclosed courtyard square of the Parade Ground. The Tai Kwun complex hosts outdoor installations and art displays, as well as weekend art and craft markets, while for some years, beautiful Christmas displays have been set up in collaboration with sponsors.

Pictured in September 2022, Inner Glow at Tai Kwun in Central used digital and 3D mapping technology to project animations and images onto the building facades of the historic complex. Photo: Edmond So

Tai Kwun has a unique presence in the city, offering the public a space to experience art outside the more structured, buyer-driven confines of galleries and exhibitions like Art Basel and traditional museums.

Transforming Tai Kwun into a place for artists to reach audiences has perhaps paved the way for the growing number of outdoor and public exhibitions that now take place across the city. Both the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade and the expansive stretch of lawn space in Tamar Park outside the Central Government Complex have frequently played host to interactive installations.

Seen here in June 2023 in Tamar, Admiralty, Rubber Duck is a series of giant floating sculptures of yellow rubber ducks, designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. Photo: May Tse

The government has taken note of the success of outdoor art installations such as the giant Rubber Duck sculptures by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman floating in Victoria Harbour, embracing the concept to promote various initiatives. In February, for instance, part of the West Kowloon waterfront was covered in a sea of anthropomorphic purple grapes – mascots of an anti-deception campaign, which thereby doubled as an installation delivering a community service announcement, warning the public of the dangers of online and other scams.

Such projects demonstrate the power art has to engage the public and spark conversation. Many Hong Kong public spaces can be used in a myriad of creative ways to embrace the city’s growing appetite for accessible art.

An anti-fraud mascot of the Hong Kong Police Force, Little Grape went on show at the West Kowloon waterfront in February 2024. Photo: Yik Yeung-man