National Palace Museum Introduction
The National Palace Museum was completed in 1965 in Shuangxi, featuring traditional Chinese palatial architecture. The first to third floors serve as exhibition spaces, while the fourth floor houses a tea room called "Sanchih Hall." It holds the world's largest collection of Chinese art treasures, mainly inherited from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, encompassing nearly 5,000 years of Chinese history with almost 700,000 items, earning the museum the reputation of being a "treasure house of Chinese culture." Within the museum, there are two sets of "Three Treasures of the Palace." One set is recognized in the artistic community—the three enormous ink-wash paintings from the Northern Song dynasty—which are rarely exhibited, making it difficult for most people to see them in person. The other set is the popular version of the "Three Treasures," consisting of the Jadeite Cabbage, the Meat-shaped Stone, and the Mao Gong Ding. These treasures are named after the popular Chinese dish "Suan Cai Bai Rou." The National Palace Museum features two gardens on each side of the complex: Zhi Shan Garden on the left and Zhi De Garden on the right. Zhi Shan Garden is built in a style resembling Song dynasty architecture and is open for visits every day except Mondays. It includes two ponds, three pavilions, and many fish and small animals, making it a suitable place for families to enjoy. Zhi De Garden is located at the intersection of Zhi Shan Road and Palace Road and is currently free to visit. The garden is small, with an elegant classical archway at the entrance, and features a lotus pond where numerous lotus flowers bloom in summer. If you wish to avoid the crowd on weekends, the museum also offers an online platform to preview exhibitions; you can appreciate the beauty of various collections, engage with interactive experiences that allow you to feel as if you are within the historical artworks, and explore the museum using 720° VR, making you feel as if you are inside the museum. You can view or listen to introductions to exhibitions and collections anytime, anywhere, allowing you to experience the museum from home. In addition to its rich exhibitions, the National Palace Museum provides professional guided tours and regularly hosts various artifact study courses, thematic lectures, and traveling exhibitions, publishing over a hundred publications and albums. It is truly a cultural treasure of the world, making the National Palace Museum a must-visit destination when traveling in Taiwan. (Part of the information sourced from the National Palace Museum)
