No visitor to this museum will ever look at tea the same way again. The Chinese have been drinking tea for thousands of years, for medicinal reasons as well as for pleasure. What the Flagstaff Museum of Tea Ware drives home is that not only are there many different kinds of tea, but also many traditional ways to prepare it.

Short videos introduce various brewing practices, which can vary greatly from province to province, while displays describe various teas and their medicinal benefits. A highlight is the rotating exhibit of tea ware from the museum’s 600-item collection, which dates from about 770 BC to the 20th century and includes everything from porcelain teacups to earthen teapots.

The museum, in Hong Kong Park, is housed in Hong Kong’s oldest domestic colonial building, completed in 1846 in Greek Revival style. It served as the office and residence of the commander of the British forces until 1978. Be sure to stop by the museum shop, where you can lust after exquisitely made tea ware and purchase various Chinese teas.

Practical Info

10 Cotton Tree Drive

Price: Free

Hours: Daily 10-6; closed Tues

(852) 2869 0690

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MTR: Admiralty