INFRAME ASIA, CULINARY – Hong Kong is hosting the first local pop-up exhibition of Sweden’s Disgusting Food Museum, bringing more than 80 unusual and controversial foods from around the world to the city. The exhibition opened on September 29, 2026, Hong Kong Time (HKT, UTC+8), at GATE33 Gallery inside Airside in Kai Tak. It will remain open until November 26, 2026.
The museum was founded in Sweden in 2018 and has become known for examining foods that different cultures consider unusual, unpleasant or difficult to eat. Its Hong Kong exhibition presents foods through real specimens, replicas, photographs, videos, scent installations and interactive displays. Visitors can therefore experience the foods through several senses before reaching the tasting section.
More than 80 foods from around 35 countries are featured in the Hong Kong exhibition. The collection includes fermented, preserved and animal-based foods that have developed from specific cultural traditions. Among the displays are fermented shark from Iceland, surströmming from Sweden and casu marzu, a Sardinian cheese containing live insect larvae.
The exhibition also includes foods from Asia. Visitors can see balut, the Filipino dish made from a developing duck embryo, alongside other foods that may appear unfamiliar to people from outside the cultures where they are eaten. The displays place these foods alongside examples from Europe, Africa, the Americas and other parts of Asia.
Some of the exhibits focus specifically on foods that are associated with strong smells. Surströmming, a Swedish fermented herring, is one of the most recognizable examples in the museum. Fermented shark from Iceland is another exhibit known for its powerful aroma and distinctive preparation process.
The exhibition also includes animal parts that can be considered unusual in some cultures. Bull testicles, for example, are displayed as part of the collection. Sheep eyeball juice is another exhibit shown to visitors, alongside insects and other ingredients that are consumed in different parts of the world.
The museum’s concept is based on the idea that perceptions of food depend heavily on culture. A food regarded as unacceptable or disgusting in one society can be considered a delicacy or traditional specialty somewhere else. The exhibition places these contrasting attitudes next to each other through the foods on display.
Visitors are given a vomit bag when entering the exhibition. The unusual precaution has become part of the museum’s identity because several exhibits are known for particularly strong smells or challenging appearances. The bags are also available for visitors who participate in the tasting experience.
At the end of the exhibition, visitors can taste a selection of unusual foods. The tasting menu can include items such as Vegemite, crunchy insects and fermented shark. Visitors who complete the tasting challenge can receive the nickname “Tastebud Warrior.”
The Hong Kong exhibition is located on the third floor of GATE33 Gallery at Airside in Kai Tak. The exhibition forms part of Airside’s cultural and entertainment programming, bringing an international food-focused attraction into one of the newer districts of Hong Kong. The venue is accessible to visitors throughout the exhibition period.
The museum’s arrival in Hong Kong also brings attention to foods that are already part of local culinary traditions. Hong Kong itself has a long history of fermented, preserved and strongly flavored foods, including century eggs, fermented tofu and other ingredients that can appear unusual to visitors. The exhibition places these kinds of cultural differences within a wider international context.
The Hong Kong pop-up continues through November 26, 2026, Hong Kong Time (HKT, UTC+8), with visitors able to explore the displays and participate in the tasting experience during the exhibition period. On October 6, 2026, HKT, the exhibition remained open at Airside in Kai Tak with foods, replicas, scent installations and tasting activities available to visitors.
