Taitung County Hakka Museum

Taitung County Hakka Museum
(All photos courtesy of Taitung County Government)

Chinese name: 台東客家文化園區

Located at: Chishang Township, Taitung County

The Taitung County Hakka Museum is located in Chishang Township. It was set up by the Hakka Affairs Council and Taitung County Government with a joint investment of NT$165 million. In 2003, the council and government began making plans to build the cultural museum and park. Construction was completed in September 2006, when it opened to the public.

outside of Taitung County Hakka Museum

The first floor of the museum is equipped with audio-visual classrooms and a Hakka cultural relics exhibition hall. The audio-visual classrooms regularly broadcast documentaries and quality Hakka TV programs for the public to watch. The second floor has a special exhibition room, a Hakka TV hall and a library. The cultural relics displayed in the special exhibition room are from the collection belonging to Guanshan Junior High School. The school has collected more than 100 Hakka cultural relics in recent years. The Hakka TV Hall is set up in cooperation with Hakka TV Station. Its ongoing exhibits are planned and set up by the Hakka TV Station. The exhibition content is regularly updated. There are also reproductions of the Hakka TV program sets in the exhibit. Visitors can experience the feeling of being an anchor here.

interior of Taitung County Hakka Museum

Before entering the park, one will see the high pillars with images of Hakka oil-paper umbrellas at the entrance. This symbolizes the spirit of eastern Taiwan’s Hakka migrants who crossed the sea and mountains to settle in the country. The style in the park is adopted from eastern rural architectural forms, corridors and natural materials (stone, wood, bamboo, plants, etc.), plus steel to shape the impression of rural architectural courtyards in eastern Taiwan. The planning of the park takes the life, industry, culture and other related experiences of the Hakka settlements in the East Rift Valley region as the main themes.

The park space is suitable for holding various activities, including orchestra performances, Hakka operas, Hakka art experiences, and children's playthings. The diverse and rich content is aspirational. Just the scarecrow installation art and children's amusement facilities alone are full of rural style, and can provide the whole family with a lot of enjoyment. In addition, during the Sea of Flower Season held in January every year, a large area full of blooming flowers is arranged next to the Taitung County Hakka Museum. The pleasant scenery attracts many tourists during this time.