Taipei possesses a rich trove of historical resources, and its impressive number of large and small museums display the depth and diversity of the island's cultural heritage. Wide-ranging collections and first-rate design and planning bring us into the lives of people of various eras, and help us to understand Taiwan's many different facets. Let's head off then to explore just a few of the city’s fine museums.
Taiwan's First City Museum – the Discovery Center of Taipei
The place to go to acquire a quick understanding of the city is the Discovery Center of Taipei (DCOT; 台北探索馆) in Taipei City Hall (台北市政府市政大楼). Opened in 2002 and is spread over four floors, it uses the past, present, and future as themes in an exploration of Taipei's history and culture, municipal construction, and its citizen's daily lives.
The DCOT features interactive multimedia displays, integrating high-tech with creativity, that provide visitors young and old with a fun and interesting look at Taipei's many different facets. Start a visit at the Taipei Impressions Hall (台北印象厅) on the first floor, where the theme-video TAIPEing (万象TAIPEing) is shown on a gauze projection screen 9.5 meters long and 2.4 high, giving visitors a feeling for the city's great diversity. Next, take the elevator to the fourth floor, to the Dialogue with Time Hall (时空对话厅). Here you can enjoy model reconstructions of the city's architecture, ranging from the old days through to the present. The most compelling display is in the middle, with an imitation skywalk over a model of the city. Below the glass floor are models of modern Taipei, while on the glass itself are drawings of the structures of the imperial city. On the walls are aerial photos of the city from the 1895-1945 Japanese ruling period. The contrast of today and yesterday is highly stimulating. In addition, be sure to visit the fourth floor's Discovery Theater (发现剧场), where the video Moments in Taipei (台北好时光), depicting touching Taipei stories, is shown on a 360-degree screen.
Children especially like the City Discovery Hall (城市探索厅) on the third floor, where you can play Monopoly, ride skateboards and bicycles, and enjoy other fun and interesting interactive installations, shuttling through the streets of Taipei via screen displays. At the Special Exhibitions Hall (特展厅) on the second floor, until July 18th take in the special exhibition Look Taipei : Taipei Travel Postcards (Look 台北：台北旅行绘叶书), a showcase of postcards featuring old Taipei photographs, depicting the city's many faces from a novel angle.
Before visiting the bricks-and-mortar DCOT, enjoy a virtual-reality tour online, exploring the stories and settings of the different halls in a rich visual feast.
The Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples – the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines (顺益台湾原住民博物馆) is on Zhishan Road (至善路) in Shilin District (士林区), diagonally across from the National Palace Museum (国立故宫博物院). Opened in 1994, it was the first private museum in Taiwan dedicated to showcasing the culture of local indigenous peoples. The exterior has stone columns decorated with native totems, and walls covered with the slate slabs used in the traditional dwellings of the Paiwan tribe (排湾族), in a demonstration of the appeal of indigenous aesthetics.
Upon entering, the first thing that catches the eye is the collection of profiles of each Taiwan tribe, introducing their lifestyles and geo-relations. The second floor showcases traditional living utensils, the third explores clothing culture, while the B1 level is devoted to religious beliefs, ceremonies, and ritual objects. The comprehensive design layout provides visitors with an in-depth understanding of the native peoples' lives and core beliefs.
Through the museum's comprehensive overview of Taiwan's 14 officially recognized tribes, the visiting public can gain an understanding of how the island's indigenous peoples have coexisted with the natural environment, transforming this interaction into the wisdom of everyday life. For example, the Amis tribe (阿美族) practice of keeping a fire lit at all times in fireplaces is not only for the purpose of cooking food, but also symbolizes an undying connection and coexistence with tribal ancestors.
In addition to the permanent exhibitions, there is also an irregular schedule of special activities that give visitors experiences such as making indigenous handicrafts and witnessing traditional ceremonies.
After visiting the museum, head over to the indigenous theme park across the street, which is inspired on the native reverence of nature. The stone carvings here were contributed by native artists from around the country. The peace and quiet here makes a visit all the more worthwhile.
An In-Depth Tour of All Things Postal – the Postal Museum
When visiting an unfamiliar city, travelers often find comfort in sending letters back home to family and friends. The attached stamps, available in many designs, also convey the mood of the sender.
Opened almost a half-century ago, the six floors of the spacious museum are divided as follows: Business Hall (营业厅), History Gallery (邮政历史), Children Postal Amusement Park (儿童邮园), Philately Gallery (邮票世界), Special Exhibition Gallery (特展室), and Postal Library (邮政专业图书室). The comprehensive collection features historical artifacts, model figures, and interactive multimedia installations.
In the History Gallery section, travel from ancient times to the present day, viewing mailboxes from mainland China and elsewhere, the uniforms of postal staff, different mailbags, etc. The content of the displays is detailed, providing a meticulous introduction to the historical evolution of postal services. Over 80,000 stamps from more than a hundred countries are on display in the Philately Gallery, including the Large Dragon Stamp (大龙邮票), China's first, the Penny Black, the world's first postal stamp, a plastic 3D stamp from Bhutan, and metal stamps from Tonga. There is much color and ingenuity on show.
The Special Exhibition Gallery on the sixth floor has exhibitions on different subjects, staged on an irregular basis. In complement to this year's issue of owl-theme stamps, the Colorful Angels – the Stamp Exhibition of Endemic Birds of Taiwan (彩翼天使－台湾特有鸟类邮展) will run until August 11th. Visitors will be able to see the tremendous diversity of bird life that Taiwan offers.