National Taiwan Museum | The Oldest Museum in Taiwan

Location: 228 Peace Park, No. 2, Xiangyang Rd., Taipei
Operating hours: 

• Main Building: Tue – Sun: 9.30 am – 5.00 pm
• Nanmen Park: Mon – Sun: 6 am – 10 pm
• *Museum is closed on Mondays unless it’s a national or consecutive holiday

Admission: Details in article

Established during the colonial years, the National Taiwan Museum, is the oldest museum in Taiwan. The building’s architecture alone is an art to be appreciated.

Source: Department of Information and Tourism,Taipei City Government

The Greek temple-front, towering columns, vaulted roof and renaissance-style windows make for a breath-taking combination. When you walk into the museum, be sure to look up, for you’ll find the arresting sight of light spilling through the stained glass window on the high ceiling.

Source: Department of Information and Tourism,Taipei City Government

National Taiwan Museum Main Building

Within the Grecian façade of this natural history museum are an assortment of artefacts that paints a vivid image of Taiwan’s history.

The permanent exhibit, ‘Discovering Taiwan: Re-visiting the Age of Natural History and Naturalist of Taiwan’, has over 300 objects on subjects ranging from anthropology, geology, zoology, and botany.

Take some time to tour the basement as well; you’ll be able to find an exhibit on Taiwan’s natural resources and sometimes showcases from temporary exhibits. Scattered outdoors are the exhibits of two steam locomotives, megalithic relics and a bronze buffalo

Land Bank Exhibition Hall of National Taiwan Museum

Rather than within the main building of the National Taiwan Museum, the Land Bank Exhibition Hall is located across the street from the museum.

As the name hints, this historic building was previously a bank. Starting off as a branch office for the Kangyo Bank during the Japanese colonial period, it later became the head office of the Land Bank of Taiwan, and now, serves as a museum for Taiwan’s finance history.

Source: Jiri Bina

Not only will you be able to learn more about the restoration works of the building and the story of the Land Bank of Taiwan through exhibits such as the original vault of the Kangyo Bank, but this is also where you’ll find the museum’s paleontology exhibits.

Source: Department of Information and Tourism,Taipei City Government

Nanmen Park of National Taiwan Museum

Once the site of the Taipei Nanmei Factory, the only government-run camphor manufactory in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period, the Nanmen Park underwent years of restoration works.

Today the park allows its visitors to take a walk into its camphor-producing history through historic sites and exhibits. On display within the Red House (formerly the Camphor Warehouse) is the history of Camphor Industry and Nanmen Factory.

Within the park amidst the verdant garden, standing majestically next to a pond (which has served several different purposes through the years, including being a reservoir for firefighters), is a giant camphor tree, a remnant from the factory’s past.

Additionally, there is a Children’s Corner on the first floor of the Administration Building featuring storybooks, interactive games and 3D. You can observe the ecosystem of trees and animals at the exhibit, The Sleeping King of Camphor Trees.

National Taiwan Museum - https://en.ntm.gov.tw/

Location
228 Peace Park, No. 2, Xiangyang Rd., Taipei

Operating hours
Main Building
Tue – Sun: 9.30 am – 5.00 pm

Nanmen Park
Mon – Sun: 6 am – 10 pm

*Museum is closed on Mondays unless it’s a national or consecutive holiday

Admission
Main Building & Land Bank Exhibition Hall
Adult: NT$ 30
Child (6 – 12 yrs): NT$ 15

Admission ticket is for the main museum and Land Bank Exhibition Hall

Nanmen Park
Adult: NT$ 20
Child (6 – 12 yrs): NT$ 10

Photo credits National Taiwan Museum