Taipei Sights

National Palace Museum

#2 of 117 things to do in Taipei

#53 of 21665 things to do in Asia

4 reviews | Write a review

Good for: art, education, cultural discovery, rainy days, admiring heritage

  • Address
    • 221 Zhishan Rd, sec.2 Shilin, 111
  • Transport
    • 213, 255, 304, red 30
    • 18 & 19
  • Website
  • Phone
    • tel, info: 02 2881 2021
  • Price
    • adult/concession/infant NT$100/NT$50/free
  • Hours
    • 09:00-17:00

Correct these details

Lonely Planet review for National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum is home to what could quite easily be termed the world's largest and finest collection of Chinese art; it is unfortunate that the overall interior setup of the museum does not match with the grandeur of the collection. The museum's interior is poorly lit and for the most part its grand collection is laid out with little sense of theme or design, giving the museum a stagnant feel overall. This is especially strange in light of the fact that the exhibits are rotated frequently; the vast collection (much of it liberated from mainland China during the last retreat of the KMT) is far too large to exhibit at any given time. Nonetheless, the sheer volume and beauty of the museum's treasures still makes it a must visit.

Among the treasures on rotation at the National Palace Museum are painting, calligraphy, statues and ceramic and jade. Some pieces date back thousands of years into Chinese history and even prehistory. The museum also has an amazing collection of Buddhist artifacts inherited from the Forbidden City. Some of the most popular items are always on display - check with the front desk to find out where they are during your visit.

The museum offers free guided tours in English at 10am and 3pm. Tour contents vary with each guide, but all offer a good overview. If you prefer to move about at your own pace, there's an English headphone guide (NT200).

 

Traveller reviews for National Palace Museum (4)

  • Avatar
    To write a review sign in, register or   Connect_light_large_long
    Recommend
     
    Add your experience “ ”
    Say more…
  • Avatar

    Great way to spend a rainy day!

    plushkanyc recommends this,

    I had a great day at the museum and didn't really expect to! I was blown away by the current exhibition "A Century of Resilient Tradition: Exhibition of the Republic of China's Diplomatic Archives" which covers the history of the ROC's international political development through display of treaties and other significant legal documents. I also enjoyed the exhibit on curio boxes. I had lunch in the tearoom on the 4th floor, which I highly recommend as the views are great and the food is very good.
    Getting to the museum can be a bit tricky as you take the MRT and change to a bus, the worst part is finding the bus stop. I took the MRT to Dazhi station and the bus stop (for brown number 13) was just a block up the road (right outside a small pharmacy). You can also take the MRT to Shilin and take a bus from there.

    Good for: rainy days, education, cultural discovery

    report
  • Avatar

    this museum is splendid, even at night :)

    maharanidian recommends this,

    Yes, I visited this museum at night, after a culture-night gala dinner as one agenda of Taiwan's World Design Expo at October 2011. If you wanna know more about Taiwan's history, go to this place. I mostly love the mystery boxes with secret compartments filled with prince's toys.

    Good for: art, admiring heritage

    report
  • Avatar

    Appreciate the art even if its a bit disorganised.

    wix99 recommends this,

    It is important to understand that this is an art museum. It showcases the finest and most priceless works of Chinese art. However, you won't learn much about Chinese history here and the exhibitions are a bit disorganised.

    Good for: art

    report
  • Avatar

    miniature boxes with hidden compartments were the best!

    carobbine recommends this,

    There's too much here to see, so choose carefully. Highlights for me were the miniature carved boxes with secret compartments filled with toys and curios. Also outstanding was the very long scroll painting of life along the river that is on display - a really fascinating look at the different walks of life that comprised life in China back then. A late lunch at the beautiful adjacent hotel was pretty amazing too.

    Good for: admiring curios, ancient Chinese ingenuity!

    report