The first national-level literary museum in Tainan (West Central District)

National Museum of Taiwan Literature (formerly Tainan Prefecture Hall)

After visiting Hayashi Department Store and on the way to the Confucius Temple, we turned into a roundabout at the end of Zhongzheng Road. In front of us was a building with the atmosphere of a European castle and a fusion of Japanese elegance and European and Japanese style – the Taiwan Literature Museum. Its predecessor was the Tainan Prefecture Hall during the Japanese colonial period and the former Tainan City Government. After the Tainan City Government moved to Yonghua Road, this building began to undergo restoration and renovation in 1997. It was not until October 2003 that it was officially opened to the public. Admission is free and no tickets are required! The green roof is very eye-catching. I looked it up and found out that it was invented by a Frenchman named Massa. It was popular in France in the mid-19th century and was called “Massa’s roof”. There is a symmetrical circular building on each side of the main entrance called the “Guardian Tower”. Looking out of the window gives you a different feeling, full of elegance and artistic style. There are poems inscribed on each brick pillar on the exterior walkway, which makes me want to feel the romantic atmosphere even when I walk on the lawn. On the right side of the first floor of the library is the children’s library. The bright and comfortable space provides parents and children with an excellent reading and learning space. On the left is the exhibition space of the ground beam structure. There are many arc-shaped vents at the bottom, which not only allow for ventilation but also prevent moisture. The red brick walls are still preserved inside the museum. Then a long white corridor comes into view, as if walking into a time tunnel. The Literature Museum will hold various exhibitions from time to time. This place has become one of my must-visit attractions in Tainan’s West Central District.