Learn Some Taiwanese Military History at The Armed Forces Museum

The Republic of China Armed Forces Museum in Ximen rarely appears online or in guides of Taipei, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit. Though it hadn’t been on our radar, when we found ourselves in the neighbourhood after visiting a military breakfast buffet we got curious and decided to check it out. The museum is in an area with a large military presence, with a base nearby and many businesses in the area catering to them. Despite being in Ximen, this specific neighbourhood is one we rarely go to, and getting the chance to explore was quite interesting.

Even though the museum is not well-known, you’ll know you’re in the right place as soon as you see the big cannon outside. We couldn’t believe we’d been in the area so many times without noticing it! It’s not exactly inconspicuous.

Entrance to the museum is free, and we were quickly ushered in by a very friendly guard and told to lock up our belongings in their lockers. Our first mistake was locking away our phones and headphones since we didn’t realise that there are actually lots of free audio guides that can be accessed by scanning a QR code. We were almost done by the time we found out and cursed our bad luck.

Our second mistake was not noticing these guide boards for each exhibition. There are five exhibition rooms, each with a different topic, and barely any information is in English. We wandered around the first few feeling bored, and then another nice guard pointed these out to us.

As you can see, much of the information presented in the exhibition is translated into English, Japanese, and Korean (not pictured), which makes the entire experience way more enjoyable. There are still lots of things that haven’t been translated, but the information provided is sufficient for a good understanding of what is going on in the room. Don’t forget to grab these for every room!

The first-floor houses exhibition room one and two, which mainly talk about the Warlord Era of China, and Chiang Kai Shek’s role in its subsequent reunification as well as his early days. It was a little dry, but it provided some useful background knowledge for the exhibitions to come. Chiang Kai-Shek is an important figure in both Taiwanese and Chinese history, so we wished the displays had been a bit more gripping, but we would probably have had a better experience if we could read Chinese or were listening to the audio guides.

On the second floor, you can learn about the Japanese occupation of Taiwan and China and Chiang Kai-Shek’s Battle of Taiwan. Unlike museums in China, the exhibit does not go into great detail about the atrocities committed by the Japanese, though it does mention some. Perhaps the audio guides or the Chinese text goes into more detail. Instead, the exhibit showcases a few artifacts from this time period, such as a Japanese sword used during the Battle of Nanjing and a uniform for the women’s corps, as well as giving an overview of the Sino-Japanese war and Japan’s eventual defeat.

The exhibition on the Battle of Taiwan also has some interesting historical artifacts — this document is signed in blood by communist prisoners of war who refused to go back to China, instead of joining the ranks of the Nationalist armed forces in Taiwan. There is also a scepter used by Chiang Kai-Shek, Nationalist missiles, and helmets on display.

The third exhibition room focuses on the Taiwanese military today, and the fourth exhibition room is just a big display of weapons. For this reason, this is probably the most kid-friendly floor. You can “fire” a missile launcher, as well as hold and (pretend to) shoot several rifles. It isn’t terribly interesting if you came for the history, but they do have an impressive collection of guns.

We were torn between being impressed at the missile launcher and guns and disappointed that they didn’t do more with the display. The guns obviously do not fire, nor do they make any noise, and while the missile launcher is set up to pretend to fire, you can’t control it. Still, it’s impressive to see and feel these pieces up close, and holding the guns reminded us just how heavy rifles are.

All in all, we wouldn’t describe the Armed Forces Museum as a must-do, but it’s not a bad way to kill 45 minutes on a hot or rainy day, especially since it’s free. The exhibits are a little dry and confusing to follow at times, so knowing a little bit about Taiwanese and Chinese history before you go may help you out. Do note that the exhibits in this museum are not unbiased, as they are very pro-Chiang Kai-Shek and the National Revolutionary Army. This does not necessarily reflect the views of all Taiwanese people, so it’s important to keep an open mind and do your own research before deciding what you make of it.

What’s the vibe?

Clean and calm three-story museum that has been recently refurbished, in an area with a large military presence.

Worth it?

Sure. It’s free and it may be interesting to some, even if it can get a bit dry at times. There are bathrooms and free water, and lots of guide boards in English.

Would you go back?

Maybe if we were in the area, since we didn’t get a chance to check out the audio guides. It’s not a bad rainy-day option, and the air-conditioned rooms make it a good place to take a respite from the heat outside. If we went back we would definitely check out the audio guides, as it’s possible that they add a great deal to the experience.

Last visited: June 2018

Republic of China Armed Forces Museum

Chinese Name: 國軍歷史文物館

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am – 4pm Closed Sat & Sun

Phone: 02 2331 5730

English Address: No. 243, Section 1, Guiyang St, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100

Chinese Address: 100台北市中正區貴陽街一段243號