Museum of Imaging Introduction
The Image Museum was originally the "Yorakukan," Taiwan's first European-style modern theater, built in 1933 by the Hsinchu City Office. This was during the rise of Taiwanese cinema, and the newly completed Yorakukan boasted state-of-the-art projection equipment, carpeted floors, and air conditioning. It was one of only three modern theaters in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. The building itself was designed with fire escapes and fire lanes, and it required audiences to have assigned seating and dress appropriately to maintain a quiet and clean viewing environment. After the war, the Yorakukan was renovated and served as the venue for the National Government's reception ceremony, and in February of the 35th year of the Republic (1946), it was renamed the "National Grand Theater," operated by the city. It ceased operations in 1991 and was later transformed into the "Hsinchu City Image Museum" on May 21, 2000, bringing the audiovisual world back to life.
