Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines
One of the coolest things about Taiwan is that for such a small island, it has historically been packed to the brim with a dizzying mix of cultures. Remnants of colonial Spanish, Dutch and British influences can still be seen throughout the island, and the massive impact of Japanese and Chinese rule is still felt today. From forts and old streets to abandoned incinerators and tea houses, these fragments of history are extremely easy to access and enjoy during your time in Taipei.
That being said, there is one aspect of Taiwanese history and culture that is sadly often overlooked on trips to the capital: that of the indigenous people of Taiwan. There are a few reasons for this. First, the indigenous people here have been subject to forced assimilation and discrimination throughout history, like the indigenous peoples of Australia, Canada, and the USA. And while there have been movements to amend historical wrongdoings, it’s often too little, too late. Second, most indigenous communities live in central Taiwan or on the east coast, which means you usually have to travel further afield to experience their culture. This is a great shame for visitors who are looking to educate themselves, as they often find themselves without the chance — especially if they are only in Taipei for a few days. However, there is one place in the city where you can learn about indigenous people: the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines.
Located way up in Shilin district near the National Palace Museum and several of the 24-hour indoor shrimping venues, the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines is a fantastic place to visit during your time in Taipei, no matter how long you intend on staying. Established in 1994, the museum aims to “promote mutual understanding between different ethnic groups” through their collections of carefully curated artefacts and explanations. Regular admission is $150, although there are plenty of discounted tickets too, including a combined ticket with the National Palace Museum. Tours are available in Chinese, English, and Japanese, as are audioguides — read more about tickets, tours, and prices here.
We won’t go into too much detail about the content of the museum — it truly is worth a visit — except to say that we loved it. The displays were clear, interesting, and informative, and almost everything was available in both English and Chinese. We were fascinated by all the different artefacts, displayed to showcase the culture and day-to-day life of all of the different indigenous tribes. The exhibits spanned four floors and covered everything from lifestyle, tools, weapons, clothing, ornaments, ceremonies, and beliefs. In the basement, there is an area for special exhibitions — there was a beautiful collection of photographs of aboriginal tribes when we visited.
The first floor is home to an introduction on the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, as well as an awesome section where you can learn about — and listen to — indigenous music.
The first floor is also home to a gift shop, which is packed full of books (mostly in Chinese), handicrafts, postcards, trinkets, and keepsakes. It’s a nice place for souvenir shopping.
All in all, we can’t recommend the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines enough. We learned so much and loved the layout and obvious care that had been taken to display the information in a way that was interesting and accessible. This is the perfect introduction to aboriginal culture while you are in Taipei, as there is nothing of the kind in the city. It’s far from the city centre — it might take up to an hour to get there — but it is well worth the commute time, and in our opinion (don’t hate), more enjoyable than the National Palace Museum, which is but a five-minute walk away. Oh, and don’t forget to go shrimping while you’re up there!
What’s the vibe?
Medium size museum far up in Shilin, which is packed with all kinds of information about the aboriginal people of Taiwan. It’s usually not too busy, despite being right next to the National Palace Museum.
Worth it?
So worth it! This is a great place to learn about aboriginal people and their culture, and it’s not expensive or crowded.
Would you go back?
This is definitely a place we’d take visitors. It’s far from the centre of Taipei, but you can easily pair it with a trip to the National Palace Museum or shrimp fishing to make the journey even more worthwhile.
Last updated October 2019.
| Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines |
| Chinese Name: 順益台灣原住民博物館 |
| Hours: 9am – 5pm Closed Mondays |
| Phone: +886 2 2841 2611 |
| English Address: No. 282, Section 2, Zhishan Road, Shilin District, Taipei City |
| Chinese Address: 台北市士林區至善路二段282號 |
