Profile 小檔案
National Palace Museum 國立故宮博物院
Hours / 營業時間
Main Building 9 am to 5 pm daily; Free admission on Saturday from 5 pm to 8:30 pm
正館 每天 9 am - 5 pm；週六免費參觀時段 5 pm - 8:30 pm
Admission / 票價
General admission NT160；Group admission NT120 ﹙10 people or more; including audio unit rental﹚；Student admission NT80
一般參觀卷 160元；團體參觀卷 120元﹙十人以上；包含團體語音導覽系統﹚；
學生優惠卷80元
No.221 Section 2 Chi-Shan Road Shih-Lin District (11143)
台北市士林區至善路二段221號(11143)
Transportation / 交通
Take MRT Danshui Line to Shin-lin Station and transfer bus R30 (Red 30) to the National Palace Museum；Also bus 255, 304, Minibus 18 and Minibus 19 can drop off in front of the Museum plaza.
搭乘捷運淡水線至士林站下車，轉乘公車紅30往故宮博物院至門口下車。或轉乘公車 255 、 304 、
小型公車18、小型公車19於大門廣場前下車。
2881-2021
www.npm.gov.tw
National Palace Museum: Resurrection of Thousand-year-old Chinese artifacts
When I was little National Palace Museum ﹙NPM﹚ to me was a mysterious and distant place. School field trips often took place at NPM and we would spend a whole day in it. But I never knew how to appreciate the beauty of Chinese artifacts and wondered why school principals insisted on bringing us here. At the time it seemed like NPM was far away from downtown Taipei because the bus ride was grueling. Every time when school teachers planned to take us to NPM I thought about faking a stomach ache and calling in sick to get out of school field trip day.
When MRT Danshui line in Taipei was completed, going from downtown to the NPM seemed easier than ever before. I realized that its location is not in faraway places as I imagined. Thanks to the speedy MRT service, the total number of visitors every year at NPM has been growing rapidly, bringing Taiwan nationals as well as foreign tourists to this magnificent museum. NPM, well known as one of the top four museums in the world, aims to revamp its image in the 21st century and reach out to those who have never been to NPM, locals and foreign alike. By word of mouth perhaps the national treasures at NPM will travel with foreign tourists back to their home countries and be well-known throughout every planet on earth.
Children’s Galley：Miniature-size NPM designed for children only
Children’s galley was opened on May 18th this year. And it is designed for children between the ages of 7 to 12. The main purpose is to provide advanced tour guidance which can help students to understand the historical backgrounds on cultural artifacts before entering the main exhibition building. Within the last few months since its opening the number of visitors has exceeded expectations. The galley is roughly about 4,320 square feet and it has crowded as many as 400 visitors in one day. During this summer, the number of students visiting children’s gallery is increasing steadily. Children’s galley is located in the west wing of the basement of the main building and it is free of charge. However, parents or teachers must be present when their children enter the children’s gallery, assisting the youngsters to developed interests in the national treasures at NPM and lead to better understand the history and background stories behind Chinese artifacts.
Children’s gallery is open during NPM business hours except for Wednesday afternoons. Each tour is about 50 minutes long. There are set schedules for individual tours and group tours. It is advised to make a reservation 7 days in advance﹙02-2881-2021 Ext. 2851﹚for a group of 10 and above, no more than 60 people in one setting and there is no group tour taking place during the weekends.
Since children’s gallery was established, kids who come visit NPM will no longer feel bored or lost when going through exhibition of Chinese art works. They will learn much about the profound meaning behind each cultural object. In Taiwan’s mandatory 9-year schooling system part of the curriculums is art, humanity and culture. The purpose of such classes is to encourage students to be closer to art which coincides with the mission statement of children’s gallery. The beauty of children’s gallery is to turn your ordinary art appreciation class into something fun and exciting. School teachers are welcome to bring students to children’s gallery and NPM on field trips. The abundant treasures and the rich history of Chinese ancestors are the best class material!
3D animated short film “Adventures in the NPM” brings ancient artifacts to the silver screen
Inside Children’s gallery there is a circular multi-purpose theater where kids can enjoy stage performances as well as 3D animation films “Adventures in the NPM” which is available in Mandarin, English and Japanese dubbing. It’s interesting that after watching the animation film many children would request to tour through the exhibition building, looking for the Chinese masterpiece appearing in the film. The legendary Jadeite cabbage with the insects, jade duck and pillow in the shape of a child are often sought after each screening.
NPM collaborated with international renowned animation artists and spent one year to produce “Adventures in the NPM”. All the efforts paid off earlier this year when the animation short film received the first place award in the Tokyo International animation film festival. It goes to show that NPM’s digitization projects are moving in the right direction. Recently NPM aims to move digitization plans up a notch by working with Taiwan Public Television Service. The second season of “Journey through the Palace Museum” was recently premiered by introducing cultural artifacts with animations and splendid visual footages. All eyes are on the famous hand scroll “Along the River during the Ch'ing-ming Festival” because it took nearly three years to complete the 4D animation, showing what everyday life was like in ancient China. This is absolutely fascinating and will draw attention from school children to working adults.
Free admission every Saturday night
Beginning in March 2008 NPM extended business hours to 8:30 PM. Whether you’re a Taiwan national or a foreign tourist you’re most welcome to visit for free courtesy of NPM. In fact the plan to extend evening hours was implemented last July and the feedbacks were overwhelming. At that time various outdoor activities and special exhibitions also took place during the extended evening hours on Saturdays. NPM is closed after 5 PM on most days and you will hardly see anyone walking around NPM. Now that NPM is open on Saturday night, it has immediately become the hottest night spot in town. Strolling through the NPM plaza is the newest favorite pastime among students, three-generation families and couples in Taipei.
NPM collaborations with international design house ALESSI
Three years ago NPM searched for ideas of its own mascot. By fate Italian design brand ALESSI came along and the two hit it all. In May 2007 the launch of “the Chin Family” became a sensation overnight and was quickly sold out at most retail outlets. The main reason is that eastern cultural icons were given a new life and transformed to be fun and adorable after being re-designed by international design house. The inspiration originated from a portrait of Emperor Chien-Lung from his younger days. The Chin Family has a series of merchandises, including keychain (990NT) which is more affordable and is quite popular among the youngsters. Salt & pepper bottles of Mr. Chin & Mrs. Chin (limited edition 2,600NT) ranks high on the collectable items among other luxurious household goods.
Thanks to ALESSI worldwide distribution up to 5,000 retail stores “the Chin Family” collection not only brought NPM to the world but also strengthened its branding. On the packaging of each product you’ll find the logo of NPM. Inside the box there is a brief brochure with information about NPM. For those “The Chin Family” collectors they will learn about NPM and perhaps one day visit the museum. The greatest thing about this collaboration with ALESSI is that the image of NPM is more internationalized than ever before! The success of “the Chin Family” accelerated the next collection series. This past June a new series called “Orientales” was launched with much anticipations. One major difference between “the Chin Family” and “Orientales” is that the design concept. “Orientales” is based on the idea of where west meets east, using western ideology to interpret eastern culture. ALESSI’s top designer Stefano Giovannoni brought Asian mascot monkey and monkey’s favorite fruit peach to be incorporated with western cartoon and fairytale. The outcome is extraordinary.
Next time when you’re in NPM you may visit the gift shop in the basement of the main building. As soon as you enter the shop you’ll find “the Chin Family” and “Orientales” collections. It might be more fun to appreciate them as art works. If that is not enough, there are two wooden human-sizes Mr. Chin standing by the entrance. This has become the newest hot spot for picture taking inside of NPM.
You may browse through the national treasures at world’s end
During the process of covering the story of NPM I finally realize what that saying “old is new” really means. NPM has gone through a series of major renovations in recent years and the new NPM is so bright and chic. The floor plan is designed with a human touch and the exhibitions are easily accessible. Some may have noticed that the official website of NPM is available in nine different languages, presenting all the treasures for the world to see. The ambition to internationalize NPM is very obvious. There is a section called NPM e-Learning, offering online art courses and the subjects covering from Chinese ancient bronzes, ceramics, and paintings to calligraphy. This year a new course on Chinese jade will be added to NPM’s online learning center. NPM e-Learning is extremely helpful to me since I know very little about Chinese artifacts but would love to study more about my own culture. Last but not least, if you would like to stroll through the exhibitions without stepping into NPM the digital museum is only one click away. When old cultural treasures meet 21st century technology, what we have is infinite opportunities to the roots of Chinese civilization!
國立故宮博物院：千年國寶變年輕了
自我有印象以來，國立故宮博物院就是個神秘而且遙不可及的地方，因為在小學時期常有戶外教學，但是我每次都是有看沒有懂，不知道如何去欣賞中華文物的美，搞不懂校長為什麼堅持要帶我們來參觀；再加上路途遙遠，每次一想到要去故宮博物院，就想假裝肚子痛，偷偷跟老師請病假。
當台北淡水線捷運完工之後，我才發現其實故宮沒有我想像的遙遠，便捷的大眾交通運輸帶來更多的參訪者與觀光客。然而邁入二十一世紀之後，名列世界四大博物館之一的國立故宮博物院積極的求新求變，希望打動更多未曾到過故宮的國人接近中華典藏，也期待國際觀光客到此一遊，將故宮的美傳達到世界各個角落。
「兒童學藝中心」：為兒童設計的迷你版故宮博物院
今年五月份才成立的兒童學藝中心，是專門為了七歲到十二歲的學齡兒童所規劃的，目的是提供簡易明瞭的導讀，讓學生在進入正館參觀之前有所準備。短短幾個月以來，參訪的人數超乎預期，120坪的空間一天曾經出現高達四百人，尤其今年暑假參訪人數不斷成長。兒童學藝中心位在正館地下一樓的西側，免費參觀，但是家長或老師必須陪同參觀，讓小朋友藉由多媒體的影片、互動區展示內容和環形劇場，對故宮博物院收藏文物產生興趣，進而了解中國古代文物歷史及其背景。
除了週三下午休館，兒童學藝中心的開放時間和正館一致。每個參觀時段大約五十分鐘，導覽分個人和團體兩組，週末只保留給個人參觀，而團體參觀必須提早七天前預約﹙02-2881-2021分機2851﹚，至少十人以上，最多不超過六十人。
因為兒童學藝中心的誕生，讓學童不再覺得故宮博物院是個枯燥無味的地方，以生動活潑的方式去探索文物的奧妙。台灣教育部目前實施的九年一貫課程中有一科為藝術與人文，目的是希望引導學生主動接近藝術；而兒童學藝中心的成立也讓美學教育動態化，歡迎學校團體帶學生到故宮博物院走一趟，其中典藏的珍貴文物足以讓老師講一千零一夜也說不盡！
3D動畫影片「國寶總動員」讓古代文物登上螢光幕，活靈活現
兒童學藝中心有個多功能的環形劇場，這裡除了有話劇表演，動畫影片「國寶總動員」固定在此播放，有中文、英文和日文三種配音的版本，有趣的是很多學童看完動畫影片後，會主動要求到正館內尋找影片主角的本尊，例如翠玉白菜、嬰兒枕和玉鴨等。
故宮與國際知名動畫團隊合作，費時一年製作的「國寶總動員」在今年得到東京國際動畫影展首獎的肯定，證明故宮文物數位化的成績是有目共睹！故宮為了精益求精，讓文物數位計畫更上一層樓，與公視合作，最新推出的「故宮奇航」第二季以有趣的動畫和豐富的想像畫面介紹文物，其中以耗費三年製作的「清明上河圖」最受注目，古代生活以4D電影呈現，大人小孩都覺得有趣極了！
週六夜間開放免費參觀
自今年三月起，每週六晚間營業時間延長到晚上八點三十分，無論是本國人或是外國觀光客都可以到故宮博物院免費參觀。其實去年七月故宮首度於週末夜間開館，反應非常熱烈，當時也針對季節推出各式各樣的活動和特展，原本傍晚五點打烊之後就人煙稀少的故宮，因此成了台北市週六晚間的最新發燒據點，隨處可見學生族群、三代同堂家庭和情侶檔穿梭在展覽之中。
故宮與國際精品設計品牌繼「清宮家族」再度合作推出「東方傳說」
三年前故宮在計畫製作代表故宮的吉祥物時，因緣際會認識義大利設計品牌ALESSI，雙方持有高度的合作意願，一拍即合，於去年五月推出「清宮家族」，造成一波前所未有的搶購風潮。最主要的原因是東方文物在經過國際品牌重新設計之後，變得趣味可愛，發想自乾隆皇帝年輕時畫像的「清宮家族」系列中，價位平易近人的鑰匙圈﹙990元﹚很受年輕人的喜愛，限量版的清先生清太太椒鹽罐﹙2,600元﹚也成為ALESSI收藏家詢問最高的家用精品之一！
「清宮家族」系列產品在全球將近五千個ALESSI的經銷點露出後，大大提高故宮博物院在全世界上的能見度，登上國際舞台。每一樣商品包裝背後都有印著故宮註冊商標，內附有故宮的介紹，也許「清宮家族」的熱愛者有一天會尋根到故宮，親自登門拜訪。藉由與ALESSI的合作，故宮的形象更國際化，也因去年「清宮家族」系列熱烈空前的迴響，今年六月雙方再度合作，推出「東方傳說」。與「清宮家族」不同的是，「東方傳說」概念來自當西方遇見東方，以西方的角度詮釋東方文化，向來是吉祥物的猴子和猴子最愛的水果桃子，在經過ALESSI設計名師吉歐凡諾尼的巧思設計，添加更多卡通和童話故事的特質。
下次造訪故宮博物院時， 不妨到展覽館地下一樓的禮品部，一進門就可看到「清宮家族」和「東方傳說」的系列商品，以欣賞藝術品的角度看待這些精品設計生活用品。如果還意猶未盡，在禮品部的入口兩側，有放置兩個大型的木製清先生，很多小朋友央求合照以留做紀念，據說這已經成為故宮的最新熱門景點！
無論身在天涯海角也能欣賞故宮的文物典藏
在這次採訪故宮博物院的過程當中，我發現它真的變年輕了，經過幾次的大型整建計畫，故宮變得明亮、時尚，不但在規劃上非常人性化，展覽的內容也越來越平易近人。也許大家並不知道，故宮的官方網站以九種語言呈現，積極國際化的野心非常明顯，將台北故宮的文物典藏帶到世界每一個角落！而其中有一頁內容引起我的注意，故宮e學園。這裡提供有關中國古代青銅器、陶瓷、繪畫、書法的線上學習課程，今年計畫新增中國玉器的認識課程，實在是太有趣了！數位學習對於中國文化一竅不通的我，真是一大福祉！如果你想看文物展覽卻不想親自走一趟故宮，可以直接上故宮的數位博物館，一覽中國文物之美！當古代文物碰上21世紀科技，我們得到的是無限的機會去尋找屬於世界文明的根源！
