The recently opened Lanyang Museum in Taiwan’s northeastern Yilan County offers a range of exhibits on the topography—mountains, plains and ocean—climate, industry and history of the area.
When visitors proceed to the permanent exhibition area on the second floor, they encounter rain thread-shaped image effects created by lighting at the entrance to remind them of the constantly misty weather in Yilan.
Moving up to the fourth floor and gradually working their way back down, visitors see a vibrant mountain forest ecosystem created by the Pacific monsoon and the constant moisture the area receives.
On the third floor, they see some of the most famous scenes of the Lanyang Plain, including crisscrossing fields, stone terraced fields, green seedlings, golden fully grown rice stalks, and a rice paddy.
Moving down to the second floor, there are winding sandbars, which turn into dunes, as well as a replica of a swordfish fishing vessel placed there to give visitors a glimpse into the daily life of a local harpooner in the past. Visitors are allowed to board the vessel in groups to get a feel for the ship, which is something that few get to experience even when they visit the fishing village of Nanfang-ao.
After returning to the first floor, visitors make their way through the time gallery and an exploration area for children. Various pictures of Yilan from throughout the years are projected onto the walls in the time gallery, documenting the history of the county. The theme of the exploration area for youngsters is the ocean, with the exhibit aimed at piquing their interest in the sea.
(This article originally appeared Oct. 18 in The Liberty Times.)