Art, laughter and late lights: M+ at Night is back

When the sun sets over Victoria Harbour and the glass façade of M+ begins to glow, the museum shifts mood. The galleries quieten, the lights soften — and then the music starts.

This spring, M+ at Night returns on March 6, May 1 and June 5, 2026, inviting visitors to experience the museum not as a place of hushed footsteps, but as a living stage of sound, movement and discovery.

The after-hours series transforms Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture into a playground of ideas, where art is encountered not only on walls, but in rhythm, laughter and shared moments.

The season opens on Friday, March 6 with M+ at Night: Endless Realms, inspired by Zao Wou-Ki: Master Printmaker, the first major retrospective in Asia dedicated to the graphic works of the Chinese French artist. The evening draws from Zao’s poetic abstraction and reinterprets it through music, comedy and hands-on printmaking.

Visitors can wander through galleries until 10.30pm, exploring exhibitions including Zao Wou-Ki: Master Printmaker, the M+ Sigg Collection and Shanshui: Echoes and Signals, before drifting toward live performances unfolding across the museum.

R&B musician Gordon Flanders will bring his smooth, genre-blending sound to the night, while a cappella group Boonfaysau adds playful vocal harmonies. Stand-up comedian Vivek Mahbubani introduces wit and spontaneity to the lineup, balancing reflection with humor. Electronic music from DJ and producer Mr. Ho will keep the energy fluid and unpredictable.

The evening also invites participation. At the Open Print Studio workshop, visitors can experiment with printmaking techniques, discovering how small shifts in paper or pressure can transform a work. M+ Guides will host short talks exploring Zao’s creative process, while museum staff share behind-the-scenes insights into exhibition-making.

The multidisciplinary spirit continues throughout the season. In May, the program takes inspiration from Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now, offering new ways to engage with one of Asia’s most prominent contemporary artists. In June, Dial-A-Poem Hong Kong arrives at the M+ Focus Gallery, featuring newly recorded readings by local poets via telephone — a revival of John Giorno’s groundbreaking 1968 project that brings poetry into everyday life.

Each edition blends performance, interaction and visual culture into a seamless after-dark encounter. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, adding to the relaxed, social atmosphere.

General admission begins at HK$320, with additional benefits for M+ Members. Ticket details here.

With access to galleries and programming across multiple floors, M+ at Night offers something quietly radical: the chance to see art differently. Not as a static object, but as something that hums, resonates and unfolds long after regular visiting hours.

marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com