Taipei Fine Arts Museum

As the first publicly funded modern art museum in Taiwan, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (台北市立美術館) has been wowing guests with its innovative displays for the past 30 years. Originally conceived as a venue for promoting the nascent contemporary art community, it has grown to be the premiere platform in the country for Taiwanese and international artists.

It's blocky jigsaw construction is an immediate indication to any visiting guest that this museum is not afraid to do things differently. Its four levels are a construction in flux, as every subsequent visit will leave you feeling like you have entered an entirely new building. Walls are shifted, partitions added, rooms darkened, all for the sake of providing the best accommodation for new exhibits being showcased. Unlike many other modern art museums, TFAM is constantly adapting itself to help artists realize their works in the manner they originally conceived them. As such, the museum is quite generous in its allocation of space, allowing for massive pieces to be displayed that would otherwise be impossible to showcase. In one instance, internationally renowned Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei presented his mesmerizing edifice of 1,000 conjoined bicycles in an installation titled “Forever Bicycles”.

A permanent, rotating collection of contemporary Taiwanese and international art rounds out the excellent displays in various areas of the museum. This collection serves to celebrate the historical underpinnings of modern art, from the 20th century to the present. And ever the technological marvel that Taiwan is, the southwest entrance corridor offers an up-close look at recent innovations and award winning designs from Taiwanese technology companies in recent years. Lastly, a lunch break at Cosi o Cosi on basement level two offers a delightful selection of Italian treats and cafe items.