Taiwan · MUSEUMS
On a wet afternoon a museum is not a fallback here, it is the plan. The 9 below cover the National Palace Museum’s imperial collection and the smaller city ones, with entry prices and which tickets skip the queue.
Visit Taipei’s National Palace Museum at your own pace with a one-day ticket for non-Taiwanese visitors. See the Jadeite Cabbage, Mao Gong Ding, ancient books, and scrolls, then visit Zhishan Garden. An optional audio guide is available in nine languages, and the North Branch ticket includes a reserved-priority entrance queue.
“Easy entry to the museum. Amazing artifacts and food is also great at the cafe.”
Spend four hours touring Taipei by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Visit the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple, and possibly Martyrs’ Shrine, with museum admission included. Guides vary, with past tours led by Danny, Molly, James, Christina, Chiara, and others.
“Her guy was absolutely super. He was accommodating to the older couples and his English in Japanese were outstanding. He had extensive knowledge and answered all of my crazy questions. Would definitely do it again.”
Spend four hours touring Taipei’s key sights with an English or Chinese speaking guide. Explore the National Palace Museum for 80 minutes, watch the guard change at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and visit Longshan Temple. Air-conditioned transport, museum entry, and a return transfer are included. Private pickup is available in central Taipei.
“Gordon was a great guide he show everything with a good explanation!!”
Spend eight hours exploring Kaohsiung with a private driver-guide such as Aaron, Charlie, Bruce, or Mr. Huang. Visit Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Lotus Pond, Pier-2 Art Center, and the Fine Arts Museum, with time to adjust the day to your interests. Hotel pickup, parking, tolls, and air-conditioned transport are included.
“Aaron was an excellent guide, we learnt a lot about the culture and history of Taiwan and Buddhism We highly recommend the tour - great experience”
Use one ticket to visit Taipei’s National Palace Museum and Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines within one day. Expect ancient Chinese art, the Jadeite Cabbage, bronze vessels, calligraphy, Indigenous clothing, tools, and ceremonial objects. There is no guide or hotel transport, so plan your own route and allow extra time for the larger museum.
“A world treasure, National Palace Museum offers superb collections that are expertly curated and displayed. Though the number of glorious art works at the NPM can seem overwhelming, visitors will appreciate the site's manageable layout. I highly recommend the audio guide, which helps visitors focus on key exhibits and learn about their significance. A trip to Taipei (indeed, Taiwan) isn't complete without an unhurried tour of the NPM, which is a stunning landmark nestled on a spectacular hillside. Multilingual staff are helpful, efficient, and friendly. Much smaller and far narrower in scope, the Shung Ye Aborigines Museum is nonetheless a pleasure to visit. The exhibits highlight Taiwan's d...”
Start at Taipei’s Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines, where you redeem both tickets, then walk to the National Palace Museum. Explore Indigenous Taiwanese cultures, films, Chinese ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, and the famous jadeite cabbage carving. An optional audio guide adds commentary at Shung Ye.
“The Aboriginal Native Museum was not big, but educational t us regarding the original tribes (14-16) that were here first in Taiwan, their ways of lives etc.. Our packaged ticket then took us int, Nationa Palace Museum which was the main course of or visit, a msot memorable 3-4 hours experience. I got to spend a lot of time this trip comapred to my first visit 30 years ago! You never see anything resembling these items in Beijing or its Forbidden Palace. So glad to be here!”
Meet a Lion Travel guide at the National Palace Museum for a 2.5 to 3-hour tour in English, Chinese, or Japanese. Expect focused stops among ceramics, porcelain, jade, bronzes, and imperial art. Departures are at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM. Admission and wireless earphones cost extra.
“Our museum guide Mr. Huang (Clement) was outstanding. We learned a great deal from him about Chinese ceramics, porcelain, jade and bronze. For art enthusiasts this tour is highly recommended.”
Leave Taipei by private car, van, or bus for Thousand Island Lake and Bagua Tea Plantation. You’ll taste Taiwanese tea, visit Pinglin Tea Museum, and stop at a local tea house with an English or Chinese guide. Ben and Alex are named guides, and hotel pickup, parking, tolls, and museum entry are included.
“Really enjoyed the tea tasting and seeing how the leaves were processed. I appreciated the spectacular views of the mountains. The tea museum was very informative, although more English translation would have been useful. Alex, our guide, was very knowledgeable.”
Spend up to eight hours at Taipei’s National Palace Museum Northern Branch, viewing Chinese art and artifacts from the Neolithic period to the modern era. The $21 ticket includes museum admission, while transport, food, and personal costs are separate. Plan around the Tuesday to Sunday opening hours and bring the required ID for QR code scanning.
“As a first time visitor to Taipei, I very much enjoyed learning about the rich history and culture. The museum was a wonderful way to explore and learn.”
Pick a coastline, a night market or a gorge.
