NM = National Monument
"National Monument" is the highest designation possible given to historic sites in Taiwan, followed by municipal and county(city) monuments. The designations are outlined in the ''Cultural Heritage Preservation Act'', and monuments are preserved by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage.
National Taiwan Museum, established in 1908, is the oldest museum in Taiwan. The Japanese government wanted to commemorate the opening of the west coast railway and so established the Taiwan Governor Museum on October 24, 1908. At its opening, there were more than 10,000 pieces of collections in the museum. In 1913, funds were collected to build the Governor-General Kodama Gentaro and Chief Civil Administrator Goto Shinpei Memorial Museum at current site. In 1915, after two years of construction, the museum was completed. It is one of the most noteworthy public buildings in Taiwan.
After the relocation of the National Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949, the museum came under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Department of Education and its name was changed to Taiwan Provincial Museum. In 1961 and 1994, the museum was closed forextensive renovations. In 1999, the museum came under the supervision ofthe central government and renamed as National Taiwan Museum.Although its name has changed thought out the times, the museum is the only museum built in Japanese colonial era that, after wars and changes in government, remains open at its original site.
The museum was designed by Japanese architect Ichiro Nomura and Eiichi Araki. The construction was carried out by the company Takaishi Gumi. The structure itself is reinforced concrete (RC) with load-bearing brick walls. RC was an advanced technology in the early 20th-century in Taiwan. The roof was made of cypress and covered with copper tiles.
Standing before the museum, it seems to consist of only two stories. The base of the museum, however, is one story high, meaning that the museum is actually a 3-floor building. Originally, administration and service space was set on the first floor and exhibitions were restricted to the second and third floors, the ceiling height of the first floor being less than the second and third floors because the second and third floor are used as the area for exhibitions. The main hall at the center of the building is flanked by two exhibition halls. The colonnade and balcony were constructed on the south facade of the museum due to the subtropical climate of Taiwan.
With its Greek temple facade and Pantheon-like vaulted ceiling, the museum was constructed in classical style. The building can be divided into three parts: the base, the walls, and the roof. The base is raised for a bigger room on the first floor and lend majesty to the structure. The walls are composed of columns, with Renaissance-style windows. The roof is a dome and the gable is decorated with gorgeous flower and leaf patterns. These, together with the huge classical Doric hexastyle columns supporting the portico, create a solemn and sacred atmosphere. From a distance, the 30-meter-high dome appears to float above the surrounding trees and becomes the center of attention.
The container is a small canister with magnet. Only a log-paper in it. Please bring a pen for this cache.