The soft opening of the National Museum of Prehistory’s Southern Taiwan Science Park Branch in Tainan City kicked off Dec. 26, highlighting the nation’s abundant archaeological findings and research prowess.
Slated to officially open to members of the public in April 2019, the NT$1.5 billion (US$48.7 million) facility exhibits, manages and studies the millions of relics excavated from the southern metropolis’s Xinshi District. Some 58 sites of archaeological interest have been identified in and around the science park since 1995, more than 30 of which have been excavated.
According to the Ministry of Culture, archaeologists have dug up some 8 million items dating back 300 to 5,000 years in the area including intact artifacts and fragments as well as more than 2,000 human skeletons. In addition to exhibiting these findings, the 24,000-square-meter museum aims to enhance the nation’s research capabilities, preserve local culture and serve as an education center.
At the opening ceremony, MOC Vice Minister Lee Lien-chuan lauded its vast collection hailing from diverse civilizations such as the Tapenkeng and Tahu from Taiwan’s Neolithic Age through the Iron Age’s Niaosung to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
One of the highlights is Taiwan’s first archaeological laboratory behind glass offering visitors the opportunity to observe researchers at work and pose questions to them via an intercom system, according to the museum. Other attractions include a multimedia show about ancient cultures where the audience sits in a moving boat and a hands-on display of fragments that can be reassembled into replica artifacts.
During the soft opening period, the museum is only open to invited guests from disability and educational organizations. (KWS-E)
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