Hong Kong has a new cultural attraction, and it is not for the faint of stomach. The Disgusting Food Museum has set up camp at AIRSIDE's GATE33 Gallery in Kai Tak, and it is serving up a feast of the world's most challenging eats. From fermented shark to maggot cheese, this touring exhibition is a celebration of culinary extremes.
The museum, which runs until 26 November 2026, is organized into five themed zones that explore food traditions, cultural differences, and sustainable nutrition. Visitors will encounter real and replica exhibits, video and scent stations, and interactive displays. It is a sensory journey that might make you question everything you thought you knew about food.
What's on the Menu
Fermentation plays a starring role in this gallery of gastronomic rogues. You will come face to face with surströmming, the Swedish fermented herring that some say tastes like nappies, and hákarl, the Icelandic fermented shark. Greenlandic fermented seabirds, known as kiviak, are also on display. These are not just exhibits; they are olfactory challenges that will test your resolve.
Some of the items on show raise questions about cruelty and unusual preparation methods. One of the beverages featured is Peruvian frog juice, made by skinning live frogs like a banana and blending them raw with carrots, maca root, and honey. If that turns your stomach, perhaps cheese and wine are more to your taste? That is, Sardinian maggot cheese, and wine in which hairless baby mice have been steeped. No? Rest assured, the museum equips each visitor with a vomit bag on entry, just in case the culinary culprits become too much to bear.
Not All Bad
Compared to some of the exhibits, crickets (one of the world's most sustainable and high-quality sources of protein), sauerkraut juice, and the Australian yeast spread Vegemite seem relatively uncontroversial. But of course, everything is subjective. For those visitors prepared to try anything, the title of "Taste Bud Adventurer" is up for grabs.
In all, over 80 distinct types of food from around the world can be encountered in the show, which has already seen installations in Berlin, Los Angeles, and Taipei, attracting over half a million guests so far. The museum runs until 26 November 2026, so there is plenty of time to plan a visit.
Practical Info
To catch the temporary museum while it is in Hong Kong, note that it opens from midday to 8:00 pm, Monday to Thursday, with standard adult tickets priced at HK$68 (around €7.75). It is worth being aware that it is more expensive to visit on weekends and public holidays, when opening hours are also shorter: from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, when entry costs HK$88 (around €10). Children under four go free, and group tickets are on offer. Weekend tickets cost HK$88, so plan accordingly if you are on a budget.
For those seeking a less revolting food experience, acclaimed Japanese chef Masahiro Tanabe will take up a four-night Hong Kong residency in Wan Chai's MINATO, from 7 to 10 October 2026. He is proposing an 11-course menu, combining seasonal Japanese produce and classic French techniques. Bon appetit!
If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong, you might also be interested in other cultural happenings in the region. For instance, China's Zi Museum turns a meadow into an open-air art labyrinth, a short hop away. And if you are worried about travel disruptions, check out Spain's 24-hour strike on November 11 to see how strikes can affect travel plans. For a different kind of wildlife encounter, seabirds get jet lag too, and it is messing with their navigation.
