- HONG KONG
SHARE THIS WITH A FELLOW PARENT
Ballet In A Former Prison: Anne Imhof’s House Of Swans At Tai Kwun
Hong Kong Ballet Dances Inside The Galleries On Selected Dates
2026 Sep 25 - 2027 Jan 03
Ballet inside a former prison is a strong sell for a Saturday in Central. Tai Kwun Contemporary presents Anne Imhof: House of Swans from Friday, 25 September 2026 to Sunday, 3 January 2027, staged across three floors of the JC Contemporary and F Hall galleries. It is the German artist’s first major solo exhibition in Asia since she took the Golden Lion at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Inside an imagined future city, monumental new commissions bring together oil painting, bronze sculpture, sonic installation, video and live dancers from Hong Kong Ballet to explore gender, power and bodily discipline.
This is not a quiet picture gallery. Opening-week performances land on Friday, 25 and Saturday, 26 September at 3pm (roughly 70 minutes), pairing Hong Kong Ballet with Imhof’s long-term collaborators – the international musicians and dancers she has worked with for years. Shorter adapted ballet slots then run through October and November at 2:30pm–3:15pm and 3:45pm–4:30pm. Families who want a gentler way in should book a weekend Family Day session between 3 October 2026 and 2 January 2027 (workshop plus exhibition entry), or pencil in Friday, 11 December 2026 for Kids Day. Read the themes first on the official page: Anne Imhof: House of Swans at Tai Kwun. The work deals directly with bodies, restriction and authority, and some video and sculpture is frank about adult intimacy and power – preview before bringing under-10s.
Anne Imhof House Of Swans Hong Kong Event Details
- Who: Teens, art-curious parents, and older kids who can already handle a dance performance or a full museum day. Family Day workshops are built for parent-and-child pairs.
- When: Friday, 25 September 2026 – Sunday, 3 January 2027, Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-7pm. Closed Mondays except public holidays; last entry 30 minutes before closing.
- Where: JC Contemporary and F Hall, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong. Arrive via MTR Central Station (towards Hollywood Road / Old Bailey Street) or the Mid-Levels Escalator. The full site is open daily 8am–11pm; galleries 11am–7pm.
- How to Join: Book through Art-mate or try the limited on-site tickets at JC Contemporary reception: HK$50 regular / HK$40 concession. Family Day is a separate session ticket including exhibition entry. Guided tours are free with a same-day exhibition ticket, and the wider Tai Kwun yards stay free.
The Scoop – What to Expect:
Imhof builds story worlds rather than rows of framed pictures. House of Swans follows a heroine through a chaotic future city on her way to love, and the galleries put oil paint, bronze, bass-heavy sound and live performers in the same space, so you’re inside the atmosphere rather than looking at it.
Worth knowing: it’s moody and dimly lit, and a couple of the biggest installations are slow and abstract in a way that mainly rewards adults. Teens and grown-ups will get the most out of it, while under-10s may lose interest.
The Hong Kong twist is ballet. After DOOM: House of Hope at New York’s Park Avenue Armory in 2025, where ballet first became structural to Imhof’s work, dancers from Hong Kong Ballet now perform inside the galleries on selected dates. That’s up to 45 minutes of live movement with no separate theatre ticket, and usually the highlight for first-timers.
Practical notes. Your slot is an entry time, not a limit, so you can stay until closing. Crowds build around performances, so arrive early or pick a quiet late-morning weekday. Afterwards, the Hi! & Seek space on 2/F is a nice spot to unpack what you’ve seen, then let kids run around the Prison Yard and eat in the courtyards once the galleries close at 7pm.
Is Anne Imhof’s House of Swans at Tai Kwun suitable for kids?
Best for teens and art-curious parents. The show is moody and dim, with themes of bodies, restriction and power, and some works are frank about adult intimacy. Under-10s may lose interest. Preview first, then use Family Day or Kids Day if you still want to go. Details are on the Little Steps guide.
When can I see Hong Kong Ballet inside the galleries?
Opening-week performances are 25 and 26 September 2026 at 3pm (about 70 minutes). Shorter adapted slots run selected dates in October and November at 2.30–3.15pm and 3.45–4.30pm. Live dance is included with your exhibition ticket on select days and is usually the highlight for first-timers.
How much are tickets and do young children pay?
Book on Art-mate or at JC Contemporary: HK$50 regular, HK$40 concession. Children aged 4 or below enter free. Family Day is a separate HK$190 session for one adult and one child and includes the workshop plus exhibition entry. Guided tours are free with a same-day ticket.
When is Family Day or Kids Day at House of Swans?
Family Day workshops run Saturdays from 3 October 2026 to 2 January 2027. Kids Day is Friday 11 December 2026 and is free with an exhibition ticket that day. These are the gentlest entry points if you are bringing school-age children rather than a quiet weekday wander.
How long should we stay and what do we do afterwards?
Your booked time is entry only, so you can stay until 7pm. Arrive early on performance days. After the galleries, use Hi! & Seek on 2/F, then let kids run the Prison Yard and eat in the courtyards. Pair with other Central ideas in the weekend family round-up.
Where To Find It:
- Anne Imhof: House of Swans
- Tai Kwun Contemporary - JC Contemporary and F Hall 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
- +852 3559 2600
- https://www.taikwun.hk/en/programme/detail/anne-imhof/1776
Found this helpful? Share it with a fellow parent!
Want More?
Little Steps Asia knows what families need.
Sign up for our email newsletters to get the most out of Asia!
[elfsight_instagram_feed id="4"]
SIGN UP
Hong Kong Tips, Deals + Events.
Recommends 