National Museum of Taiwan History

Taiwan's local history, shaped by the vibrant interactions of its varied ethnic groups, reflects the unique trajectory of the island's development. At NMTH, our research team integrates historical and anthropological methods to study the history and cultural evolution of indigenous communities as an organic whole. We explore the development, transformations, and present-day issues of indigenous social culture in the wider historical framework of Taiwan.


Utilizing our extensive collection of documents and artifacts, NMTH carries out collaborative surveys and historical workshops, rekindling local memories. These initiatives reveal local histories from the perspective of indigenous communities, while also enriching NMTH's collection with invaluable indigenous oral histories. Our joint exhibitions and projects greatly increase the involvement of indigenous communities in museum activities, fostering dynamic conversations between the museum and diverse social groups.


Building on these efforts, NMTH collaborates with research institutions both locally and globally, keeping abreast of the latest developments in indigenous history and culture studies. This approach empowers us to effectively address contemporary issues concerning the relationships between nations and indigenous communities.


Agreements with Outside Parties
https://www.nmth.gov.tw/archive?uid=229

NMTH has curated notable exhibitions such as “Listen for Voices: The Special Exhibition of the 80th Anniversary of the Wushe Incident,” “Transformations in 1895: 120 Years after the Japanese Conquest of Taiwan,” and “The Superimposed South: Tainan as a Collective Memory.” These displays provide varied insights into critical events during the Japanese era, the development of local Taiwanese studies, and the experiences of Western travelers in Taiwan. Alongside these exhibitions, the museum has published significant works including Chinese Historical Materials on the Yiwei War, Foreign Language Historical Materials on the Yiwei War (Volumes I to III), and Wushe Incident: Translation of Japanese Historical Documents.
 
NMTH is home to the permanent exhibit “Depression and Dreams Under the New Order,” highlighting the Japanese colonial period. In line with current public and academic discourse, our Rethinking Colonial Modernity research project actively explores this era. This project delves into the five decades of Japanese rule, examining early political and social changes and the post-1920s colonial and anti-colonial dynamics. The insights gained are poised to enhance our future exhibitions.


“Listen for Voices: The Special Exhibition of the 80th Anniversary of the Wushe Incident”
Chinese Historical Materials on the Yiwei War
Foreign Language Historical Materials on the Yiwei War (Volumes I to III)
Wushe Incident: Translation of Japanese Historical Documents
“Depression and Dreams Under the New Order” Permanent Exhibit
“The Superimposed South: Tainan as a Collective Memory”
“Czechoslovakia x Travelers x Formosa: The 1920's Special Exhibition”

NMTH, leveraging its extensive collection of vintage records, collaborates with a variety of archival institutions and collectors for data gathering, artifact acquisition, and technical cooperation. This joint effort has led to a system for digitizing and archiving the museum’s records. In 2015, NMTH hosted the “Sing a Song: Taiwan in Sound” exhibition and launched the “One Hundred Years of Taiwan's Sounds” online platform, which is still active. Since 2017, the museum has organized the annual “100 Years of Taiwanese Voices” event and began hosting “The Sound History of Taiwan” seminars. These projects include monthly "Sound Sharing Meetings" where volunteers analyze record data, and the museum is also involved in experimental endeavors like soundscape collection.
The museum's research and preservation efforts encompass:

1. Gathering audible historical materials
2. Advancing research in Taiwanese history with a focus on auditory heritage
3. Gathering and preserving the collective auditory memory of Taiwan

Addressing current social and cultural topics through sound
“Sing a Song: Taiwan in Sound” Special Exhibition
“Looking Forward to Spring: Nine Decades of Popular Music in Taiwan” Special Exhibition
“One Hundred Years of Taiwan's Sounds” online platform

At NMTH, we actively address contemporary social issues, embracing “the museum as a method” to foster broader discussions and effect societal transformation. In 2016, we added to our collection with items from the 2014 Sunflower Student Movement curated by Academia Sinica. Our 2019 “Oppression & Overcoming: Social Movements in Post-War Taiwan” exhibition showcased artifacts acquired from social movements. In response to the 2016 Meinong earthquake, we preserved artifacts from the Weiguan building collapse, chronicling this major event to provide comfort and strengthen our collective memory, laying a groundwork for future progress. Our 2017 “Taiwan and Japan – Reflecting on Modern and Contemporary Disasters Together” international exhibition underscored our dedication to this theme. During the 2019-2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the “COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic Object and Image Collection Project” was launched to document and safeguard our collective experience of this worldwide health emergency.


“Oppression & Overcoming: Social Movements in Post-War Taiwan” Special Exhibition
“Taiwan and Japan – Reflecting on Modern and Contemporary Disasters Together” International Exhibition
“COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic Object and Image Collection Project”

This research theme emphasizes historical interpretation and practice from a grassroots perspective, highlighting how history serves as a resource for thought and a guide for action among diverse participants. It also explores how the study of history can inspire and transform researchers' philosophies and practices. NMTH's past exhibitions, such as “Movement of People: The Migration Stories in Taiwan,” “There’s Something About Maps: Taiwan History in Maps,” “Islands In Between: Thousand Faces of Taiwan,” and “Entangled Things, Entangled Connections: An NPM, NTM, NMTH Joint Exhibition,” have consistently explored the interactions among diverse ethnic groups and the dialogue between history and present-day society. Our 2024 exhibition, “Crossing 1624: The World Island of Taiwan” continues this tradition of dynamic grassroots historical perspectives. It explores the ongoing interpretation and application of early East Asian cultural exchanges in today's context, showcasing the enduring impact and relevance of these interactions.


“Movement of People: The Migration Stories in Taiwan”
“There’s Something About Maps: Taiwan History in Maps”
“Islands In Between: Thousand Faces of Taiwan”
“Entangled Things, Entangled Connections: An NPM, NTM, NMTH Joint Exhibition”

Visually-based materials, such as maps and illustrations, have played key roles in the interaction of Taiwan's diverse groups. Rich in historical insights, these images capture the complex essence of Taiwan, proving that a picture is truly worth a thousand words. NMTH features a vast collection of these visual artifacts, which are showcased to the public in publications like Reprints of Surviving Tainitigraph Issues and Longitude and Latitude of Formosa: Western-Drawn Maps of Taiwan from the 16th to 19th Centuries, and through exhibitions like “There’s Something About Maps: Taiwan History in Maps.” Ongoing research in this area not only deepens our understanding of Taiwan's history but also investigates different perspectives, the development of knowledge, and visual culture.


Reprints of Surviving Tainitigraph Issues
Longitude and Latitude of Formosa: Western-Drawn Maps of Taiwan from the 16th to 19th Centuries
“There’s Something About Maps: Taiwan History in Maps”

NMTH has hosted various special exhibitions that delve into the history of Fucheng (old Tainan), military dependents’ villages, Southern customs, new residents, and post-war social movements, with a particular emphasis on the experience of women. Aligned with this focus, we consistently examine gender issues among various groups, such as female students, working-class women, and female immigrants and migrant workers. Additionally, we have investigated the roles of “virtuous and filial women” in the 19th-century Qing dynasty and the participation of female missionaries in international relations, emphasizing women's roles in historical events. We frequently feature women's life histories, actively discussing applied methodologies. This includes how oral history is documented within various organizations, how to preserve the often-neglected memories of women, and the dramatization of these narratives. This approach allows the public to rediscover life experiences that are typically unseen and prompts a reevaluation of how museums can create gender-conscious histories and memories. Using our extensive array of diverse historical materials, collections, and images, NMTH is dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the Taiwan Women's Website. This effort seeks to enrich and refine the understanding of gender-related studies in Taiwan. Through this initiative, we will promote open sharing of cultural resources and foster a greater societal understanding and awareness of gender equality.


Taiwan Women’s Website
Taiwan Women Series: History

Our research on water culture prompts a reconsideration of the relationship between humans and nature, with the goal of creating a society that is sensitive to changes in aquatic environments. This research begins with historical and material studies, linking on-site fieldwork with local communities. At NMTH, we start by building connections between the museum and residents through ongoing reading groups, walking tours, dialogues, and workshops. By curating exhibitions and adapting content for educational purposes, we create a comprehensive platform for understanding water culture. The 2018 special exhibition “Float or Sink: Water Culture in Taiwan” delved into the relationship between humans and the environment within the Zengwen River basin. From 2020 to 2024, our focus shifts to the  environmental, historical, engineering, sociocultural, and cultural heritage impacts of the Chianan Irrigation System in the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan region.


“Float or Sink: Water Culture in Taiwan” Special Exhibition
“Carrying Home Along the River: The Local Culture and Nature of Taijiang” Special Exhibition
“Co-Creating a Community of Water: Looking Back on a Century of Water Resource Management and the Transformation of the Environment in the Southwest River Basin” Special Exhibition
“Co-Creating a Community of Water: Looking Back on a Century of Water Resource Management and the Transformation of the Environment in the Southwest River Basin – Expert Narratives” Interdisciplinary Exhibition 
“The Chianan Irrigation Chronicles, Issue 1: The Beginnings of the Great Canal” (Website:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/eb81615c3e0e4e4787cf344a83f08c8a
“The Chianan Irrigation Chronicles, Issue 2: The Origins and Course of the Great Canal”
(Website: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/c94d2491fb5142ce8b85e45edb8ff661

Our approach involves mastering local knowledge and orienting it towards social research, while also broadening our scope through comparative studies of historical interactions between different regions. Our focus encompasses four key areas: gathering and analyzing historical data, developing administrative and legal structures, exploring economic and social dynamics, and delving into the rich layers of history and culture. This framework guides the direction of our research and aids in the exploration of theoretical insights. Embracing the concept of storytelling through artifacts, we engage in workshops, field walks, and curatorial endeavors to craft narratives about social history. This method highlights the interdisciplinary nature of our collections. Our exhibitions, including “All Roads Lead to Taiwan: The Selected Collection of National Museum of Taiwan” in 2012, “Renovation and Reform: Taiwanese Society in the 19th Century” in 2015, and “One of a Kind: The Legacy of Lin Chao-ying and His Family” in 2016, exemplify this approach. By starting with an examination of object types and functions and then extending our analysis to integrate various themes, we capture the rich diversity of social life in Taiwan.


“All Roads Lead to Taiwan: The Selected Collection of National Museum of Taiwan”
“Renovation and Reform: Taiwanese Society in the 19th Century”
“One of a Kind: The Legacy of Lin Chao-ying and His Family”