National Taiwan Museum

National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan. In 1909 the Japanese rulers wanted to celebrate opening of the North-South railway line by opening a museum. In 1915 The main building of the museum was completed in area that is now called "228 Peace Park". It still is an outstanding building. Japanese architect Ichiro Nomura designed the building in classical Greek style. The front entrance looks like a Greek temple with typical steps, pillars and flower and leaf patterns.

Behind the Museum main building is a nice public park, 228 Peace Park, 二二八和平紀念公園. The park is in the memory of the 28 February 1947 incident, a violent event that deepened the division of the political landscape of Taiwan.


You cannot avoid these creatures in the Peace Park. They are tame. I freaked out when one of them came and touched my feet from behind.


The museum has large collections of geological history and of biodiversity. I am not interested in algae and minerals. What impressed me more were some of the objects in the ethnic collection. This strange hat was used in the Orchid Island (Ponso no Tao) by Tao-people, who gave headache for the Japanese occupiers, because the Tao simply ignored them.


Another interesting section in the museum is the collection of stunning dresses, qipaos, through time.


The central hall is the architectural highlight of the building.


Spectacular


Truly beautiful


The dome's ceiling


The other building of the museum is located just opposite the main building. It is Landis Bank Exhibition hall, with its dinosaur collection and bank museum.

Dinosaurs are here:


Velociraptor?




The Landisbank bank museum is small, but worth visiting. Most of the tourists, like this one, are confused because of the language barrier. I tried to explain him details of the banking history and methods.


I explained him for example, how this map illustrates the political and economical influence of Japan before the end of the second world war.


This is a detail of the map describing the commercial contacts of Taiwan in the first half of the last century. Taiwan was trading with all corners of the world.


Next article is about my other home, Luxembourg. It will be published soon.