Cultural Heritage Park of the Ministry of Culture Introduction
The Cultural Assets Park of the Ministry of Culture covers an area of 5.6 hectares, and its predecessor was the privately-owned "Taisho Distillery Co., Ltd." established during the Japanese colonial period in 1916. After the Japanese government implemented a liquor monopoly system in 1922, it was nationalized and became the largest brewing factory in Taiwan in 1928. After Taiwan's restoration in 1945, the distillery was renamed twice as "Taichung Distillery" and "Fifth Distillery." In 1947, the government transitioned from a tobacco and liquor monopoly to a public sale system, and the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation took over. In 1957, it was renamed "Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Liquor Corporation Taichung Distillery." With the passage of time and in response to urban planning needs in Taichung City, the Taichung Distillery moved to a new site in the Taichung Industrial Zone in 1998, leaving behind a large industrial heritage site and historical buildings. In July 2002, the Taichung City Government registered the main buildings of the entire area as historical buildings, allowing the old distillery to be fully preserved. It has now developed into one of the five cultural and creative industry parks established by the Ministry of Culture. The old Taichung Distillery has been revitalized from an industrial heritage site into a platform for the promotion of cultural and creative industries. After the relocation of the distillery, the old site was left with significant industrial heritage and historical buildings, testifying to the history of the liquor industry development in Taiwan since the Japanese colonial period. In July 2002, it was registered as a historical building by the Taichung City Government, and the National Property Administration transferred ownership of the 5.6 hectares of land and buildings to the Executive Yuan’s Cultural Affairs Committee, enabling the complete preservation of the old Taichung Distillery site. It was then designated as one of the five cultural and creative parks in the creative industry development plan by the Executive Yuan Committee, serving as a base for Taiwan's cultural and creative industry and positioned as a center for architecture, design, and art exhibitions in Taiwan. Additionally, the central authority responsible for cultural heritage affairs throughout Taiwan, the Bureau of Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, is also established here. The policy goals for promotion are: effectively integrating local governments, universities, civil and community organizations to shape a comprehensive network for cultural heritage protection, constructing an ecological environment conducive to cultural heritage development, and promoting international cooperation in cultural heritage preservation. Currently, each building in the park has a new identity; the Weishuilou, which was formerly a packaging materials warehouse, now houses the park's library. The Yatang Pavilion, originally a warehouse for rice wine products and semi-finished products, is now a large exhibition hall for multifunctional use, contributing to Taiwan's cultural and creative efforts. The International Performing Arts Hall at the corner of the central plaza was previously used for packaging operations and now showcases various exhibitions, demonstrating an ambition to reach international audiences, with 21 buildings located in the park for you to appreciate and visit. Travel tips: 1. To use the venue in this park for events, a prior application must be submitted according to regulations, and processing can only take place after approval. 2. To maintain the quality of visits, please do not shout, chase, or play after entering the museum. 3. To keep the exhibition area clean and comfortable, smoking, betel nut chewing, and chewing gum are prohibited. Additionally, please do not bring pets, food, or beverages into the exhibition halls. 4. This park does not permit photography or videography for commercial use. Personal photography should adhere to exhibition regulations. 5. To ensure your safety, please do not wander into non-public areas or bring hazardous items into the museum. 6. Motor vehicles are prohibited from entering the park and from illegal parking; vehicles used for activities should be parked according to the park's regulations.
