National Museum of Taiwan History

Have you ever wondered why the official language in Taiwan is Mandarin rather than the Southern Min language, which is spoken by the majority of people in Taiwan? And why do many tourist attractions in Taiwan feature Japanese architecture? Or, a foreign tourist, you have the least idea of but feel interested in Taiwan history? Then start your trip in Taiwan from the National Museum of Taiwan History. With a distinctive appearance, the museum gives a clear introduction to the history of Taiwan, ranging from the aborigines living on the island since an early age, the immigrants coming from the coastal areas in Fujian, China, the occupation of the Dutch and Spanish, Qing Empire's loose control on Taiwan, Japan's Colonial Era, the KMT's retreating to Taiwan after Chinese Civil War, to the democratic development in today’s Taiwan. With the help of vivid wax sculptures, historic artifacts, and restored historical settings, you will understand the complete history of Taiwan in the past 400 years step by step, as if you were walking through a time tunnel. For instance, there is a scene in which a ship-owner harboring illegal immigrants is trying to deceive a Qing official when his ship is entering the port, and a scene in which people wearing conical hats hold billboards in a Mazu procession. Even the 228 Incident in the modern days and the Tao people's opposition against dumping nuclear waste on Lanyu (also known as Orchid Island) are demonstrated here. Unlike many other boring museums, which just display interpretive signs, fob the visitors off with strings of words, and therefore make them pass over quickly, the National Museum of Taiwan History illustrates the past scenes in a three-dimensional or an interactive way. In the great family destination, adults full of questions can find some quick answers here, while active and curious children can explore here like an amusement park.