TAIPEI - 1. Huashan 1914 Creative Park
Huashan 1914 Creative Park is one of the biggest and most interesting creative parks in Taiwan. It’s located in Zhongzheng District in Taipei and boasts multiple exhibit spaces, shops, and cafes within the park grounds. It used to be a winery during Japanese rule, producing sake and ginseng wines, as well as breeding moth orchids of all things. You’ll recognize it by its distinctive chimney towering from the winery’s old boiler room.
2. Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Taipei
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is a great little museum in Taipei. Space isn’t that big but the exhibits on display that day were interesting. If contemporary art is your thing, then be sure to make a quick trip here.
3. National Taiwan Museum
Established in 1908, the National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan and the only non-art museum on this list. It’s comprised of five departments -anthropology, earth sciences, zoology, botany, and education – and holds exhibits featuring Taiwan’s indigenous animals and plants, as well as its cultural artifacts. The National Taiwan Museum may be the oldest in the country but it doesn’t feel that way inside. It’s well-maintained and a joy to go through.
4. Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
Like Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park was one of the biggest ones we visited in Taiwan. It’s even bigger than Huashan and occupies a former tobacco factory established during Japanese rule. In 2014, there was a big furniture design exhibit at the park’s main space, as well as an outdoor bazaar offering products created by local designers.
TAICHUNG - 5. Caowu Square
Caowu Square isn’t really a creative park or museum, but a large retail space showcasing products created mostly by Taichung-based designers. There are several restaurants here as well, including a place to rent segways and bikes for use around Calligraphy Greenway park. It’s a pleasant space and a must-visit in Taichung.
6. National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
This is a great fine arts museum located at the southern end of Calligraphy Greenway in Taichung. It’s a large facility with four floors of exhibit space. the entire first floor and garden were dedicated to the gigantic sculptures, wood carvings, and paintings of Taiwanese artist A-Sun Wu. It’s an interesting museum with lots to see so be sure to visit if you’ll be spending any time in Taichung. Admission to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts is free.
TAINAN - 7. Blueprint Culture and Creative Park
For posting pictures on Instagram, Blueprint Culture and Creative Park in Tainan was by far the best. It was the smallest creative park we visited but it’s loaded with fun murals and spots for great photo ops. Blueprint Culture and Creative Park is a relatively new creative park that’s been open for a little over two years.
KAOHSIUNG - 8. Pier-2 Art Center
Pier-2 Art Center is a large, wide open creative park comprised of several structures in Kaohsiung. It’s located next to the pier and boasts the biggest murals and installation pieces. There were a few cafes and shops here as well. Unlike the other creative parks, this one didn’t seem to have any clear boundaries. Apart from the murals on the sides of buildings and warehouses, it was hard to tell where the park started and ended.
HUALIEN - 9. Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park
Among all the creative parks we visited, Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park was probably the least interesting. The large industrial space was cool but there wasn’t as much to see and do here. The products sold at the shops weren’t as interesting or unique either. Nonetheless, it’s a photogenic industrial space that makes for good pictures.