NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM➔CHING-KUO Chi-Hai Cultural Park ➔ TAIPAI 101➔Songshan Cultural and Creative Park ➔ Raohe Night Market

Jul 2

6 min read

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM.

The National Palace Museum’s collection ended up in Taiwan by a twist of fate, and today, it’s a huge part of the island’s rich, diverse culture. Looking back at history, these treasures carry thousands of years of Chinese cultural heritage, taking on the grand mission of preserving and passing down this incredible legacy.

The treasures housed here are world-famous cultural assets. Moving from private imperial collections to being owned by the public, these pieces have a clear, unbroken lineage. In fact, the museum's collection spans almost the entire 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization without a single gap—which is pretty much unique in the history of world civilizations. Out of the 600,000+ items in the museum, most were originally collected by Chinese emperors, a tradition that started over a thousand years ago during the Song Dynasty.

As digital tech has found its way into museum exhibits and facilities, the main building underwent a three-year renovation and reopened in February 2007. The "New National Palace Museum" doesn't just offer fresh, modern ways to experience the exhibits; it also added dedicated digital learning spaces, like a digital tour hall, a multimedia theater, and an interactive kids' learning zone. Plus, the museum has been pushing forward with projects like "Digital Archives," "Digital Museums," and "Digital Learning" to create a "museum without walls." With diverse dining options, a cinema, and cultural gift shops, visitors can now come to check out ancient artifacts, enjoy modern art, or even just hang out on a date, truly making the museum a part of everyday life.

Bridging the past and the future, the renovated museum represents more than just the inheritance of Chinese history—it’s a fresh starting point that connects deeply with modern society and culture.

CHING-KUO Chi-Hai Cultural Park

Located by the Keelung River in Taipei’s Zhongshan District, the Ching-kuo Chi-hai Cultural Park is a beautiful spot that blends history, culture, and nature. It brings together the historical former residence of President Chiang Ching-kuo and a sleek, modern library. The whole place has a really peaceful and harmonious vibe, making it perfect for a relaxing and informative day trip.

At the heart of the park is the Chi-hai Residence, where Chiang Ching-kuo lived the longest during his time in Taiwan, and it's the only one of his homes that has been fully preserved. The building itself is incredibly modest, and everything inside has been left exactly as it was. It really gives you a glimpse into his simple, down-to-earth lifestyle, and it’s a must-visit if you want to understand Taiwan’s modern history.

Inside the Exhibition Halls, you'll find beautifully designed permanent exhibits. They use tons of historical photos, personal handwritten notes, diaries, and rare artifacts, combined with cool interactive multimedia displays. It really brings his life story, family moments, and the major turning points in Taiwan's economic and democratic development to life.

Beyond the deep history, the park is surrounded by the scenic Chi-hai Lake and lovely waterfront walkways, offering great views of Jiantan Mountain in the distance. As you stroll through the park, you’ll see sparkling water and lush greenery everywhere. It’s incredibly quiet and serene—honestly, even if you just come here to clear your head, take a walk, and escape the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s totally worth it.

TAIPAI 101.

Located right in the heart of Taipei’s most prime district, TAIPEI 101 is the biggest construction project Taiwan’s architecture industry has ever seen. The project was planned by a team of local and international experts, brought together by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation (a joint venture of 14 Taiwanese companies). Designed by world-renowned architect C.Y. Lee, the building breaks away from traditional monolith designs. Instead, it uses the lucky number "eight" (which sounds like "wealth" in Chinese) as its core design unit. Every eight floors form one structural segment, stacking on top of each other to create the whole building. This gives the exterior a rhythmic, elegant look, creating a whole new style for global skyscrapers.

TAIPEI 101’s multi-segmented look relies on a high-tech "Mega Structure" to ensure top-notch safety against winds and earthquakes. Because every eight floors form an independent structural block, it naturally breaks up the strong downdrafts that high-rises usually cause, keeping things safe and comfortable for pedestrians below with the help of green landscaped buffer zones. The building's shape looks just like a flexible yet sturdy stalk of bamboo growing higher and higher, symbolizing continuous growth in traditional architecture. The walls slant inward at a 7-degree angle, stepping upward layer by layer. Plus, the building uses highly transparent, energy-saving eco-glass that blocks out heat without causing annoying light reflections, letting visitors look out at the sky and city from Taiwan’s tallest viewpoint. Between the high-tech materials and creative lighting, the tower has a clear, see-through visual effect that blends beautifully with nature and the city skyline.

Up on the 89th-floor observatory (382 meters above the ground), you don't just get an incredible 360-degree panoramic view. The deck is also packed with awesome features, like high-powered binoculars, souvenir photo services, a drinks bar, multimedia audio guides in 11 languages, gift shops, and even the world's highest mailbox! On top of that, you can get an up-close look at the massive 660-metric-ton wind damper—one of the very few in the world that is completely open to the public.

Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, located in Taipei’s Xinyi District, covers about 6.6 hectares. It actually started back in 1937 as the "Songshan Tobacco Factory" under the Taiwan Governor-General's Bureau of Monopoly during the Japanese colonial period. Later, it was taken over by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Monopoly Bureau. As Taiwan's very first modern cigarette factory, it produced cigarettes and cigars and was a massive economic powerhouse back in the day. However, as demand dropped, production wrapped up in 1998, and its operations were merged into the Taipei Tobacco Factory.

In 2001, the Taipei City Government designated it as the city’s 99th official historic site. Ten years later, on November 15, 2011, it reopened to the public as the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Positioned as "Taipei's Creative Hub," the park breathes new life into historic buildings while backing local creative industries. It’s now a major cultural hotspot in Taipei, bringing together art, design, and pop-up exhibitions. Through strategies like "Cross-Border Experimentation," "Creative Showcases," and the "Creators' Factory," along with self-run events like the "Songshan Cultural and Creative Graduation Exhibition," "Summer Songyan," and the "Original Festival," it has turned into a world-class cultural landmark that opens up tons of new possibilities for Taiwan's creative scene.

What’s really cool is that the park preserves its unique Japanese Secessionist architectural style. You can explore official historic sites like the office buildings, warehouses 1 through 5, the tobacco factory, and the boiler room. There are also designated historic buildings like the inspection room, machine repair shop, and the old nursery, plus beautiful features like the Baroque Garden, the ecological pond, and the multi-purpose show hall. Combined with its thriving, diverse ecosystem, the park is the perfect blend of vintage vibes and modern innovation.

Raohe Night Market.

Raohe Street Night Market is located in the Songshan District, running along Raohe Street between Bade Road Section 4 and Fuyuan Street. Stretching about 600 meters, it’s one of the biggest and most popular tourist night markets in Taipei.

Back in the day, the area around Raohe Street and Songshan Station was called "Xikou." Because the Keelung River was deep enough for boats, this spot became a bustling transit hub for goods traveling from Keelung and Yilan into Taipei. It was packed with merchants and boats, and it was so prosperous that people even called it "Little Suzhou." But later on, the river started silting up, fewer boats could dock, and after Bade Road was widened, Raohe Street turned into a secondary road, causing business to take a huge hit. To help local shop owners make a living, the government gathered licensed vendors from under the South Songshan Bridge in 1987 and moved them here, creating Taipei’s second official tourist night market. Today, the stalls are super organized and offer a bit of everything—from oyster vermicelli and beef entrails noodles to refreshing shaved ice. Besides the amazing food, you can also find cheap and trendy clothes, shoes, everyday items, and even traditional folk art performances and local souvenirs.

The market itself is about 600 meters long. Right at the entrances near Fuyuan Street and Songshan Station, you’ll spot these beautifully lit, iconic traditional gateways (pailou) where the night market vibes officially begin. One of the coolest things about Raohe is that it’s famous for regularly hosting traditional folk art performances. With countless shops and street stalls lining both sides of the road, anyone coming here to shop for clothes, grab daily essentials, or just eat and have fun will definitely leave fully satisfied!