National Taiwan Museum 國立台灣博物館

3/10/2023

The National Taiwan Museum is the oldest and one of the best in the country and focuses on the natural, geological, and human history of Taiwan. Located in downtown Taipei, it is easily accessible, and you can spend an entire afternoon here. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.

Background:
The National Taiwan Museum was originally established in 1908 to commemorate the opening of the north-south railway in Taiwan and began with over 10,000 items related to Taiwan's academia, art, and industry. A Newer building was later built to house the collection in 1915. After the ROC took over Taiwan, it was known as the Taiwan Provincial Museum until 1999 when it changed its name to the National Taiwan Museum. It is the only museum established during the Japanese era that still stands today. The museum also underwent renovations in 2017.
The museum has four areas: the main National Taiwan Museum (which is the focus of this blog), the Land Bank Exhibition Hall, Nanmen Park, and Railway Department Park. In the future, the Monopoly Bureau and the Mitsui Bussan Company Building will be added.

Hours:
9:30 AM to 5 PM, closed Mondays

Price:
30 NT per person.
You can book for a discount on Klook here or a museum combo ticket on KKday here.

Tours:
You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here.

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here).
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By MRT: The closest MRT station is NTU Hospital Station, and is about a 5 minute walk from the museum. It is also about a ten minute walk from Taipei Main Station. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Car/Scooter: Driving or taking a scooter there can be hard because there is limited paid parking nearby. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

Map:

Our Journey:

I have been to the National Taiwan Museum once and had a great time. It is a great place to visit especially if you are interested in the history and ecology of Taiwan. Unlike the National Palace Museum, this one focuses just on Taiwan.

You can book for a discount on Klook here or a museum combo ticket on KKday here.

The museum is just a short walk from Taipei Main Station.

The National Taiwan Museum was originally established in 1908 to commemorate the opening of the north-south railway in Taiwan and began with over 10,000 items related to Taiwan's academia, art, and industry. A Newer building was later built to house the collection in 1915.

When we went, there was a exhibit for exotic fossils.

Stone gate in front of the museum.

There is also an unbrella locking system here, but when we came back my key wouldn't open it, so we had to ask the guard for help.

Finally we got tickets to the inside.
You can book a tour to multiple Taiwan museums with Klook here.

The main entrance has the most impressive two story open air room and views.

View of the cieling.

First we made our way to the exotic fossils of Taiwan.

Okay I am not sure if they were found in Taiwan, but they were fossils and they were exotic.

Some other displays. All very kid friendly.

Alligator.

Let me tell you right now, if you are bringing a stroller, you are out of luck. The elevator is super slow, and it always gets full of people. It can be almost impossible to travel via elevator from the first or second floors on busy days. The only other option is to walk stairs.

Taiwan deer.

More Taiwan animals.

More Taiwan specimens.

Taiwan indeginous art.

Taiwan sea shells.

Indiginous knifes.

Horns and skulls in Formosa.

You can see more views of this area in the gallery above.

Going back into the main room.

View from the second floor.

Japanese rolling moss on display.

Painting of Koxinga.

Flag of the Kingdom of Tungming.

Indeginous pottery.

Indeginous clothes.

Sculptures.

God statues.

In the basement is a large children interactive area. If you bring kids, you will want to spend most of your time here.

More inside.

Rodent statues.

More of the kids' interactive area.

Behind the museum you can see 228 peace memorial park.

View from the front of the museum.

You can book for a discount on Klook here or a museum combo ticket on KKday here.

Another view looking at Taipei main station.

Pavilion at 228 Peace Park.

Pagoda on a lake.

Another view of the Pagoda.

If you go further down the street, you will come across NTU Hospital, another beautiful Japanese era building which dates to 1912. This is the older wing of NTU hospital, which is attached to a more modern building next door.

View from the side.

Last view of NTU hospital before we took the MRT home.

You can book for a discount on Klook here or a museum combo ticket on KKday here.

You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here, KKday here, or Tripadvisor here.

Check out our Taipei Museum Guide here.

Check out our family and kids guide to Taipei here.

Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.