Eight kilometres north of the city centre of Tainan, this three-storey museum opened in 2011 and is a good introduction to the ethno-cultural history of Taiwan.
The visually appealing exhibits and multimedia installations give an overview of Taiwan’s history covering the early settlement of the aboriginal groups, the Dutch occupation, the Japanese era, the KMT takeover, and today’s democracy. Note that the 2-28 Incident is significantly downplayed, as are other major episodes of political suppression by the KMT.
The museum also has a well-designed park which includes lakes, an ecological education centre, walking paths and birdwatching areas. The combined treat is certainly worth the time it takes to get there.
Bus 18 (NT$18) leaves from the hub opposite Tainan train station for the museum every 30 minutes on weekends. On weekdays, there are six buses going in each direction between 7am and 7.55pm.
