National Human Rights Museum — Attraction in New Taipei

My top 3 favourite museums in the world (plus it’s free)!

Honestly, I took the bus here to attend a book launch and thought I’d come an hour early to stroll around a bit… ended regretting not taking an extra hour! Plan at least 2 hours if you want to really understand and appreciate the history of white terror and their seasonal exhibitions! There’s also a decent cafe on the premise to grab a snack or drink.

Okay, now the details of what impressed me.

1. Accessible materials and excellent curators: the seasonal and permanent exhibitions both incorporate audio, films and interactive content for visitors to not only see but understand in a more comprehensive, immersive way. Even children can somewhat learn about the history of white terror and minority suppression without feeling too frightened.

2. Calm premise but not lacking in its solemnity as a former political prison: the museum itself is an open space - kept in its original prison structure and a few jail cells were maintained (from others’ pictures, I actually didn’t get to that part of the museum). I find it’s often difficult to achieve the balance between the two - the curators had to lift the brutality slightly to make it less of a traumatising experience for the visitors (though it may be unjust to those who’d been held prisoners here).

What I may suggest to the museum curators is to add more information about the large name plaques by the pond. Taiwanese familiar with history may recognise some names, but international travellers may be baffled by what they symbolise without at least a sign board.

Thanks so much for establishing...

I have been to this place several times to act as a tour guide for my friends. As someone interested in human rights and Taiwan’s political history, I find this place to be one of the most significant historical sites that showcases what happened in Taiwan during the Martial Law Period.

The site curates everything perfectly. You can use the audio guide, available in multiple languages (pick it up at the tourist shop near the entrance for free). It will help you understand this place better and even feel the pain or imagine the experiences of the political prisoners.

In addition to the prison and the permanent exhibition, this place regularly features different human rights-themed exhibitions.

I also love the uncles and aunties volunteers here, as they are very helpful in explaining many things. Additionally, if you can speak Mandarin, sometimes the staff members are willing to share their experiences or stories.

Understanding Taiwan is not just about appreciating its culture and tourist attractions; its historical background also plays a significant role in shaping the country into what...

I came out of the museum completely heartbroken. The museum itself stands strong as a sites of conscience which is preserving the past with so many questions unanswered. The site not only displays the past where the army brutality took place it also caters other issues related to human rights violations done in and around the nation.

The new VR film 'The man who couldn't leave' is the must visit if you're here. Although I'm not from Taiwan, I felt the intense connection to the sufferings people here had to go through. People of Taiwan should definitely visit, with their family, to know the history to reclaim the future.

My heart goes out to all the victims of the white terror, victims in the green island and similar army concentration camps in Taiwan, all the indigenous people who had to suffer multiple times, and people of this nation who were tortured and killed and disappeared by the forces during those draconian era.

Thank you NHRM for finely curating stories so that people around the world could know the hidden history of Taiwan. Salute and...