The site of Taipei's wildly popular 2010 floral exposition, this expansive park covers three distinct sections, all linked up so you can enjoy a long stroll exploring them and the various sights within.
First off is Yuanshan Park, where you'll find gardens, a lively outdoor food court and the Eco Ark (a giant structure made of recycled bottles). Across Zhongshan N Rd you'll find the Fine Arts Museum and further west Xinsheng Park with its innovative pavilions from the flora expo (some of which may still be open when you arrive) and Lin Antai Historic House . North of here the park merges with the Dajia Riverside Park for biking and views of the Grand Hotel.
Fine Arts Museum
Constructed in the 1980s, this airy, four-storey museum of marble, glass and concrete showcases contemporary art, with a particular focus on Taiwanese artists. These include pieces by Taiwanese painters and sculptors from the Japanese period to the present.
Taipei Story House
This house was built in 1914 by a tea trader said to have been inspired by a building he saw at the 1900 Paris Expo. Today it's a space for Taipei nostalgia and history, and past exhibitions (which change often) have included topics such as Chinese sweets, toys, matchboxes and comic books.
Lin Antai Historic House
This Fujian-style 30-room house , Taipei's oldest residential building, was first erected between 1783 and 1787, near what is now Dunhua S Rd. As was typical in those times, the house expanded as the family grew in numbers and wealth, reaching its present size in 1823.
In the 1970s, the heyday of the Taiwan 'economic miracle', the home was set to be demolished for the great purpose of road widening. Thankfully, public opinion saved the day and the house was painstakingly dismantled and, in 1983, rebuilt on this field in Xinsheng Park. Today the historic house is notable for its central courtyard, swallowtail roof and period furniture.
