Starbucks has inaugurated a highly stylized concept location within the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) in the West Kowloon Cultural District, offering visitors a unique fusion of traditional Chinese arts, imperial aesthetics, and exclusive, locally inspired food and beverage offerings. The newly opened space transcends typical café design, creating an immersive experience that complements the museum’s mission by integrating tea-centric menu items, artwork referencing Ming and Qing dynasty culture, and specially curated merchandise inspired by both the HKPM collections and its concurrent exhibitions.
Blending Contemporary Coffee Culture with Imperial History
Located on the ground floor of the HKPM, this new Starbucks branch stands apart as the only location in Hong Kong to feature a traditional Chinese calligraphy shop sign. The sign, designed in the style of high-street shops from the Ming and Qing eras, showcases the coffee brand’s name masterfully rendered by renowned local calligrapher, Westley Wong, immediately setting a tone of cultural reverence.
The interior design further enhances this dialogue between East and West, past and present. Visitors are greeted by a striking mural created by local artist Elsa Ngai, which meticulously details the life cycle of a coffee tree using traditional art mediums, including mineral pigments and clay-based paints. Additionally, installations by sculptor Leo Wong reinterpret the humble coffee plant using the classic aesthetic of shan shui (Chinese landscape painting), embedding the café experience within a framework of classical Chinese artistry.
Exclusive Menu Features Plum and Turmeric Flavours
The HKPM Starbucks team has rolled out a distinct menu program to match the location’s historical gravitas, moving beyond standard coffee house fare. A highlight is an exclusive line of beverages featuring traditional salted and sour plum flavours. These revitalizing drinks, incorporating plum sauce and whole plums, can be paired with either Starbucks’ signature coffee or oolong tea, served warm or iced. This offers a distinctly Chinese “tonic” experience.
Another exclusive introduction is the Turmeric Oatmilk Latte, which weaves complex Oriental spice flavours into a popular plant-based milk beverage, demonstrating a sophisticated approach to merging global coffee trends with regional tastes.
Exhibition-Specific Delights
To coincide with the museum’s temporary exhibitions, the café is also offering limited-edition specialty items. Visitors to the highly anticipated “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” exhibit, which began in February, can purchase playful Egyptian-themed treats. These include the Golden Pistachio Pyramid Cake and the Mummy’s Secret Roll sausage roll, offering a lighthearted complement to the ancient artifacts.
Collectible Merchandise and Personalized Service
Beyond the gastronomic offerings, the HKPM Starbucks is launching two exclusive merchandise collections. One collection takes design cues from ancient Egyptian iconography, applied across lifestyle items such as demi mugs, tumblers, and passport holders. The second collection draws directly from the museum’s own holdings of imperial treasures from the Ming and Qing dynasties, celebrating the elegance of Chinese imperial artistry on everyday items.
Further emphasizing its status as a premium concept store, the HKPM location is the first Starbucks in Hong Kong to offer engraving services. This personalization option allows visitors to make their purchased mugs or travel accessories genuinely unique keepsakes, cementing the store as a destination for both cultural immersion and bespoke retail experiences.
This strategic partnership elevates the visitor experience at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, offering a sophisticated leisure space that seamlessly integrates high-quality refreshments with a deep appreciation for Chinese and global cultural heritage. The new concept store exemplifies how branded retail can become an engaging extension of major cultural institutions.
