tentoze
Twangophile
Spent about three hours this afternoon at the National Palace Museum here in Taipei. Apparently, when Chiang-kai Shek's Nationalists fled the mainland in 1949, they brought with them a great percentage of the historical treasures that had resided in the national museum in Beijing, a fact that the mainland government still regards as theft, as I understand it.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 150,000 items are in the museum's collection, of which only maybe 1/10 are on display at any given time. The collection ranges from Neolithic stone and jade artifacts, up to 5,000 years old, through turn of the 20th century sculptures and fine porcelain. Unfortunately, as is the case with most museums, no photography is allowed inside. If anyone wants to look at some of the stuff, the website is http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/calendar.htm?pageno=2&catno=1&eventdate=2007/04/01
The website isn't exactly intuitive (or speedy), but if you click on the items in "Event Calendar" that don't look like links, they are, and will take you tom some examples of the fine pieces on display.
It was pretty amazing. Some pics of the outside, at least- 1st is the main entrance. 2nd and 3rd are taken from the 3rd level exterior veranda looking out from the museum. 4th is the administration complex, and another gallery that had a separate visiting exhibition from the British Museum, which I passed on.
Nice afternoon. The presentation was first rate, with good English descriptions for everything, which I appreciated, naturally.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 150,000 items are in the museum's collection, of which only maybe 1/10 are on display at any given time. The collection ranges from Neolithic stone and jade artifacts, up to 5,000 years old, through turn of the 20th century sculptures and fine porcelain. Unfortunately, as is the case with most museums, no photography is allowed inside. If anyone wants to look at some of the stuff, the website is http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/calendar.htm?pageno=2&catno=1&eventdate=2007/04/01
The website isn't exactly intuitive (or speedy), but if you click on the items in "Event Calendar" that don't look like links, they are, and will take you tom some examples of the fine pieces on display.
It was pretty amazing. Some pics of the outside, at least- 1st is the main entrance. 2nd and 3rd are taken from the 3rd level exterior veranda looking out from the museum. 4th is the administration complex, and another gallery that had a separate visiting exhibition from the British Museum, which I passed on.
Nice afternoon. The presentation was first rate, with good English descriptions for everything, which I appreciated, naturally.
Enjoy! :thmbsp: