National Taiwan Literature Museum
Since 2003, the Tainan Prefecture Hall has been the home to the National Taiwan Literature Museum. The building has been transformed into a modern facility that mostly uses the Prefecture Hall as a facade.
What was once the courtyard is now the indoor body of the museum, and what was once the rear wall of the hall is now an interior wall within the museum. The architects have done a great job of merging old and new, and the exhibition halls merge seamlessly between the old and new parts of the building.
The building is worth checking out for its architecture alone, but it also houses the only national museum dedicated to literary arts in Taiwan. As you can guess, most of the exhibits are on the great figures of Taiwan’s literary history. Unless you’ve really studied this subject, these exhibits might not mean much to you. The English descriptions are few and incomplete, however there are English audio tours available that may prove more helpful. Other exhibits include a language exhibit where you can listen to the variety of indigenous, Chinese and foreign languages that have been spoken on the island. They also have recordings of indigenous lullabies from throughout the island. There’s also an exhibit on the Prefecture Hall itself, and some rotating exhibits from the vast archives of their research center.
In addition to the various exhibits, there is also a library, a seating area and a cafe where many students come to either study or just take advantage of the free air-conditioning. There is also a children’s literature reading room. The library doesn’t lend books, but people are welcome to use the books in-house and there are books for sale. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating on Nanmen Road.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00AM ~ 9:00PM; Closed Mondays
Admission: Free
Phone: (06) 2217201
Location: No.1 Zhongzheng Road (Jhongjheng Road 忠正路), West Central District, Tainan City
The building is worth checking out for its architecture alone, but it also houses the only national museum dedicated to literary arts in Taiwan. As you can guess, most of the exhibits are on the great figures of Taiwan’s literary history. Unless you’ve really studied this subject, these exhibits might not mean much to you. The English descriptions are few and incomplete, however there are English audio tours available that may prove more helpful. Other exhibits include a language exhibit where you can listen to the variety of indigenous, Chinese and foreign languages that have been spoken on the island. They also have recordings of indigenous lullabies from throughout the island. There’s also an exhibit on the Prefecture Hall itself, and some rotating exhibits from the vast archives of their research center.
In addition to the various exhibits, there is also a library, a seating area and a cafe where many students come to either study or just take advantage of the free air-conditioning. There is also a children’s literature reading room. The library doesn’t lend books, but people are welcome to use the books in-house and there are books for sale. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating on Nanmen Road.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00AM ~ 9:00PM; Closed Mondays
Admission: Free
Phone: (06) 2217201
Location: No.1 Zhongzheng Road (Jhongjheng Road 忠正路), West Central District, Tainan City