New Taipei City Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology Introduction
Located in Bali, the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology is the first archaeological museum in Taiwan, built to protect the national second-class historic site, the Shihsanhang site. In 1955, a military aircraft flying over Bali encountered unusual magnetic reactions on its compass, leading to the discovery of the Shihsanhang site. Subsequently, geologists and archaeologists came to explore the area, finding it to be a prehistoric site and establishing this archaeological museum. The Shihsanhang culture belongs to the Iron Age of northern Taiwan and is currently the only prehistoric community in Taiwan confirmed to have iron smelting technology. It is not only the only archaeological museum in northern Taiwan but also the first museum in New Taipei City to be certified as an environmental education venue. The entire museum is structured by three distinct groups of buildings, each expressing the imagery of mountains and seas, past and present, using genuinely transparent materials such as exposed concrete, sandstone, and aged metal panels to construct a complete concept. The museum features permanent exhibitions of important artifacts unearthed from the site, special exhibition halls, and archaeological learning experiences that provide detailed introductions to the Shihsanhang culture, the Yuanshan culture, and other historical sites and backgrounds in Taiwan. Over a thousand years ago, the residents on the left bank of the Tamsui River lived in stilt houses and used human-faced pottery. It is said that in the past, the cannibalistic indigenous people would venture out, and later replaced such activities with sacrificial items. Their daily diet consisted of fish, shrimp, and shellfish from the sea. Their way of life is beyond our imagination today, but the Shihsanhang Museum offers us a glimpse into it. The museum presents the Shihsanhang culture discovered at the site in a rich and engaging manner, allowing us to learn about the lives of the Shihsanhang people a thousand years ago. It also periodically hosts special exhibitions, sometimes introducing the historical trajectory of the Tamsui River's development, and at other times offering scientifically educational archaeological explorations, enabling visitors to gain a wealth of knowledge while being entertained and sparking children's interest in history.
