Museum sights in Taipei
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Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
Whether the imposing Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall will always be known as the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is anybody's guess. Many and strident are the voices in the high halls of Taiwan's government calling for this 70m-tall memorial to Taiwan's one-time dictator to be renamed, and the massive statue removed.
For now, this iconic monument with its white walls and blue octagonal roof still stands as a grandiose, ostentatious and perhaps fitting memorial to the man who, in life, was known in some circles as 'General Cash-my-check'. On the ground floor you'll find a museum dedicated to Chiang's life, with an assortment of military uniforms, medals, paintings and manuscri…
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Taipei Story House
the Taipei Story House was built in 1914 by an aristocratic tea trader. Its style was said to have been inspired by a building he saw while visiting the 1900 Paris Expo. Today the house is an exhibition space for Taipei nostalgia and history. Exhibits change frequently and might include goodies such as toys, matchboxes and comic books.
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Taipei Astronomical Museum
Opened in 1997, the Taipei Astronomical Museum houses four floors of constellations, ancient astronomy, space science and technology, telescopes and observatories. Though a good place to while away an hour with the kids, what keeps this otherwise excellent museum from being a must-visit is a dearth of English content though every exhibit features English and Chinese, but most of the actual information is in the latter language only.
Plans are underway to put full bilingual information online, so theoretically non-Chinese speaking visitors could download exhibit information and study up before arriving. More English-friendly attractions (at an extra charge) are an IMAX the…
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2-28 Memorial Museum
Located inside 2-28 park, the 2-28 Memorial Museum offers an explanation of the events of 28 February 1947 massacre and of the repercussions that followed. Acknowledgment of the 2-28 incident was a pivotal part of Taiwan's transformation from dictatorship to democracy.
Though there is little in the way of English signage in the museum, a multilingual walking tour device is available. However, there are generally bilingual volunteers on hand willing to walk you through and explain the significance of various events and displays. The building itself is significant, for it was from this, the former KMT radio station that officials tried to calm the masses as panic swept the …
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Miniatures Museum of Taiwan
Bigger is better, so some say; but not at the Miniatures Museum of Taiwan where quite the opposite is true. This small, private museum is dedicated to the exhibition of the minuscule, the tiny, the 'Sweet Jesus, I can't believe someone had the patience and steadiness of hand to create something so small and intricate!' Among the most (of many) astounding articles on display is a 40-bulb chandelier no bigger than a single grain of rice. A most impressive little museum indeed.
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National Museum Of History
Just outside the Botanical Gardens, Taiwan's first National Museum Of History is still an anchor of local arts and culture housed in an elegant Japanese-era building. 'History' is actually a misnomer - Chinese art history would be more accurate, with thousands of Chinese artifacts from Tang, Shang and other dynasties. The tea room on the 3rd floor has views of the Botanical Gardens' lotus pond. A tour in English takes place each afternoon.
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Discovery Centre of Taipei
The Discovery Centre of Taipei is a good place to get your bearings on the city and its history. You can see maps and models depicting Taipei's evolution from a walled, gated city in 1882 to the bustling metropolis it is today. Discover more about its geography, topography, commerce, famous residents and natural resources. There's a free audio guide in English, and guided tours are available with advance notice.
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Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
Occupying an entire city block, the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall serves as a cultural centre (concerts, performances and special events), a large public park and a museum of the life of the man considered the founder of modern China.
A huge statue of Dr Sun sits in a cavernous lobby facing the park to the south. It's guarded by two implacable sentries - you can watch the changing of the guards, an intricate choreography involving much spinning of bayoneted rifles and precision stepping. This happens twice a day. Morning visitors practising taichi on the grounds provide another kind of choreography. You'll also find the excellent Discovery Centre of Taipei on the grounds.
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National Taiwan Science Education Centre
If this place doesn't bring out the kid in you, than there's no kid in you to be brought out. The National Taiwan Science Education Centre is one of the coolest children's museums we've yet to find in Asia. Interactive exhibits cover the gamut of scientific knowledge, from anatomy (a walk-through digestive tract!) to zoology (a cat-head-shaped helmet that gives the wearer feline hearing powers).
Though NTSEC is not fully bilingual, museum staff have gone to great length to include enough English content to make all sections of the museum accessible to non-Chinese speakers.
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Taipei Children's Art Museum
The highly interactive children's Taipei Children's Art Museum features artwork by children and regular programmes to encourage children to participate in the creation of art. Dedicated to the nurturing of children's hearts and minds through art, the museum offers an excellent counterpoint to the rote 'learning through repetition and imitation' educational methods prevalent in Taiwan.
Though generally frequented by teachers with school groups, activities and guided tours for travellers with children can be arranged by calling in advance.
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Su Ho Paper Museum
Don't blink or you might walk right past the store front housing this four-storey Su Ho Paper Museum. Fulfilling the lifelong dream of Taiwanese paper-maker Mr Chen Su Ho, this museum features special exhibits of ultracreative uses of paper (eg paper sculpture or installation art). No matter when you visit, you can make your own sheet of paper in the museum's workshop and learn about materials and processes. An English audio guide is available. Exhibits change two or three times a year.
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Shung Ye Museum Of Formosan Aborigines
The Shung Ye Museum Of Formosan Aborigines features highlights of nine Taiwanese indigenous tribes. These Austronesian peoples are related through blood or linguistic ties to people across precolonial Oceania, as far away as Madagascar. The tribes developed pottery, basketry, wood carvings, musical instruments and colourful costumes. Fine examples of Taiwanese aboriginal handicrafts are displayed and video footage offers an educational summary of the histories of the tribes themselves.
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Museum Of Contemporary Art Taipei
Taiwan's first Museum Of Contemporary Art Taipei dedicated explicitly to contemporary art occupies an important Japanese-era building that was once Taipei's city hall. Shows are all special exhibits and fill anything from one gallery to the entire museum; they might include architecture, design, fashion, digital and video art and even comic books. Check the website for current exhibition information.
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Postal Museum
Can't imagine six storeys of exhibits about mail and stamps? Think again. This museum showcases around 80,000 stamps from over 120 countries, postal uniforms, hardware and signage from around 30 countries, plus models of Taiwanese mail-delivery methods of yore (buffalo-skin raft, anyone?). It's as quirky as it is impressive.
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Children's Recreation Centre
The large Children's Recreation Centre features a 'world of yesterday' with historical Chinese toys and folk arts, and a 'world of tomorrow' with, among other things, a planetarium.
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