Taipei Music Center (aka TMC, or Taipei Pop Music Center 臺北流行音樂中心) is the first large performance area in Taiwan dedicated to pop music. It features three main buildings: a concert hall, a pop music cultural center, a creative hub building, and large open spaces and grassy areas. The area also has pedestrian bridges and easy access to Nangang Station. It should definitely be on your list on your next trip to Taipei.
Background: Planning for the Taipei Music Center first began in 2003 and construction began in 2013. The area was finally completed in 2020 and opened to the public in 2021. Total expenditure for the music center was over 6 billion NTD (193 million USD). It was designed by RUR Architecture, an American firm. The concert hall has 3,100 fixed seats, and at full capacity can fit about 5,000 people. Now the area is home to major music industry players and domestic and international music concerts. Website: Check out the latest concerts, festivals, and activities going on at their website here: https://tmc.taipei/en/ Price: Free entrance, concert prices may vary. Hours: 10 AM - 6 PM every day except Monday (concert times may vary) Tours: You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here. Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com 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 Car/Scooter: From Kunyang MRT station on Zhongxiao East Road, travel north until you reach the park. There is paid parking at Nangang Station. 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 Bus/MRT: Take the MRT to Kunyang Station or Nangang Station. The park is about a 10 minute walk from either station. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook 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: Please see below: Our Journey: I have been to Taipei Music Center hundreds of times. I pass it every day on my way to work. I have witnessed its construction and completion, as well as many musical events that have taken place here. It is the cool, happening, hip new spot in Taipei. It proves that Nangang is the vibrant beating cultural heart of Taipei.
If you come from Kunyang MRT station, there will be a bit of a walk to get to the music center. Here is the map shown from the south side.
Panorama of the music center, with creative hub on the left, cultural center in the middle, and concert hall on the right.
View of the concert hall and overhead with cultural center in the background, as well as new public housing and the Taipei 101.
— 湯姆帕克 Tom Parker Illustration (@papagaeio) August 17, 2022
Renowned and famed artist Tom Parker also drew an illustration of the music center as shown above, which I believe shows his love for and eternal devotion to Nangang District of Taipei. You can check out his Facebook page here.
I have lived in Nangang for over 7 years, so I remember when most of the area here was empty fields. The photo above (taken from Nangang Station) shows the Taipei Music Center in construction phase.
The Completed Taipei Music Center, taken in 2023.
Taipei Music Center under construction taken from the Nangang MRT Depot, which is now a large public housing unit.
Origingal public announcement of what was being built at the time.
Closer view of the construction in 2017.
The concert hall under construction in 2017.
Pedestrian bridge under construction in 2023 that will connect to Nangang Station and the new apartments across the street.
Front view of the cultural center.
View of the cultural center lit up at night.
View of the concert hall.
The concert hall lit up at night.
View of the courtyard in front of the concert hall.
View back of the creative hub.
Creative hub at night.
Back end of the concert hall, which looks like a Star Wars Rebel Starship.
This is what I imagine is on the inside.
New pedestrian bridge being built.
Large retention pond in the park which fills up with water when it rains hard.
Busy day with lots of people during a festival.
Some local artists and their concert dates in late 2023. Youung Taiwanese people are so creative with their stage names. My favorite is "123 Braces."
There were also monoliths in front of the music center at one time. Various works of art are put on display for a short time on the grounds.
Closeup view of the cultural center, with a flea market in front.
They don't have exhibitions and flea markets every day, but they occur a few times every year.
Another view of the market.
Food truck.
View looking up at the cultural center.
Another view of the market.
View inside the cultural center.
You buy tickets to concerts at the concert hall in here.
Some of the concerts and prices that day (175-350 NT per concert).
There are temporary and permanent exhibitions here to see.
Piano exhibition.
Cafe.
CD and record store.
Another view of the record store.
Looking back at the concert hall.
All around yo will see this train station theme.
Trinket stall.
Another train station decoration showing you the way to different shops.
A look at the creative hub.
Looking back at the creative hub.
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I don't get the wire dome on top.
Creative Hub.
Accordian studio.
Another train decoration.
View looking back at the cultural center.
Pioneer shop.
Another view of from the main courtyard.
Looking at the cultural center from the main courtyard.
Looking back at the creative hub.
Piano store.
Another music store.
Outdoor cafe.
More outdoor sitting spaces.
Looking back at the cafe.
Outdoor stage.
Looking back at the cultural center.
You can see since it was built some of the tiles have started falling off and cement lime is getting washed down. That is what happens when you combine beauty and the elements.
More music stores.
Bar.
Another music store.
New public housing across the street.
Back to the market.
Seating area and projector.
There is also a pedestrian bridge that connects to the concert hall.
Steps inside the cultural center.
View on top of the pedestrian bridge.
Open work space in the cultural center.
View from the bridge.
Looking at the creative hub.
View looking back at the cultural center.
Closeup on the 101.
Main doors.
Lots of people down stairs waiting for a concert.
Some product promotion.
Main doors.
View in from the outside.
Beautiful curves.
Another view from the back.
View from the back side of the building.
Also they are building a new tunnel to Academia Sinica that should be finished soon.
You can also check out Nangang's Extreme Sports Park nearby.
There are many other activities available in Taipei such as Indoor Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, Archery, Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Tree Climbing, Urban Camping, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Escape Room, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Laser Gun Experience, Batting Cages, Bowling, Paintball, Flight Simulation Experience, Taipei Tram Driving Experience, Rail Simulation Experience, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, Strawberry Picking, Professional Photo Shoot, Body Relaxation SPA, Night Tour, Calligraphy Workshop and more on Klook here or KKday here. You can get a 20% discount on the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Nangang on Klook here or KKday here. Check out our full guide to Nangang here. Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more blogs on Taipei to come!
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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