National Museum of Prehistory (Taiwan)

Hours & Admission

Hours

Open:  09:00-17:00 Tuesday – Sunday

Closed: Mondays (except those which are national holidays or part of long weekends) and on Lunar New Year’s Eve /Day.

Irregular closures, including annual maintenance week, will be announced.

Admission 

Ticket office closes at 16:30

Accepted Payment: Cash, Mastercard, Visa

1. Current admission discounts are valid from 2025/01/01-12/31

2. Visitors must present a related form of ID to be eligible for discounted admission.

3. Visitors eligible for free admission must still obtain a ticket before entering the exhibition areas.

Tour Information

Self-Guided Tours

Audio guides in English, Japanese, and Mandarin are available for loan at the information desk. There is both a standard format and a story adventure mode for children. 

Below you will also find a list of recommended displays you may use to explore in a self-guided tour on your own schedule. 

Scheduled Tours

Free guided tours of our permanent exhibitions are offered at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm daily. These tours are conducted in Mandarin and last 40 minutes. Visitors may register on the day of their visit at the information counter. 

Museum Guidelines

To ensure a positive experience for all visitors, we ask for cooperation in complying with the following rules:

• No selfie sticks, tripod or flash photography.
• Please do not climb or run in the exhibit areas so as not to disturb other visitors. 
• No pets or dangerous articles.
• No smoking.
• If any type of emergency occurs (fire, earthquake, power outage, etc.), please follow evacuation instructions given by museum staff.

Accessibility & Amenities

• The National Museum of Prehistory is fully accessible by wheelchair.

• Audio guides, strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers can be borrowed from the information counter. 

• Tactile braille maps, tactile and interactive display models, and ample seating are available throughout our exhibitions. 

• Free Wifi is available throughout the museum under “NMP Free”. 

• Bilingual displays are available throughout the museum. Adult and children’s adventure audio guides in English and Japanese are available to rent at the front desk.  

• There are accessible, all-gender restrooms and water stations dispensing hot and room temperature water on every floor of the exhibition hall.
  

Toilets There are accessible, all-gender restrooms and water stations dispensing hot and room temperature water on each floor of the exhibition hall.

Elevators All parts of the museum can be accessed by elevator. Escalator Our escalator goes between B1 and the second floor. It is energy-saving, so it stops when not in use. Step on, and it will begin moving.

Faith and Quiet Room  A multi-faith room is available on the first floor near the gift shop. If you need assistance accessing it, please ask the security or information desk.

Storage Lockers Ample storage lockers are available across from the information counter, near the gift shop.

Leisure

Snitya Studio Gift Shop and Refreshments

Snightya Studio is the official museum shop, a cafe, and an art studio. Located in the entrance hall across from the information desk, it features unique, traditionally-inspired clothing, hats, cutting boards, postcards, jewelry, and more handcrafted by indigenous artisans, as well as books and museum-related goods. Their menu offerings include indigenous millet pork dumplings, cakes, and beverages.

Location: First Floor Lobby

Hours: 9:00-17:00, closed Mondays

Phone: 089-381166 ext. 796

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snightya.studio

Hoobi Bakery Cafe

This cozy cafe overlooks the museum's beautiful grounds and blue central mountains from the second floor of the museum. Hoobi Cafe is a family-owned eco cafe located on the second floor of the museum. The menu features baked goods and light meals highlighting Taiwanese and indigenous flavors, like makao peppercorn toast and peanut lattes. Weather permitting, you may want to order your food as a picnic and to enjoy in the museum gardens.

Location: Second Floor 

Hours: 9:00-16:00, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Phone: 089-381166 ext. 797

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoobibakery

Mountain Square Courtyard

The museum’s central courtyard is open to the public from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm with no ticket purchase necessary. The courtyard is an excellent place to enjoy a snack and some fresh air with its artificial lawn and hill to play on and ample covered seating with tables on one side. A fog machine occasionally blows clouds of vapor from the top of the hill, evoking the tranquil mountains wreathed in clouds that stand behind the halls. The courtyard can be entered through the lobby or through the gardens behind the museum. 

Prehistory Garden

Take a stroll in the large gardens behind the museum, which features brick paths, a grassy lawn, trees, flowers, benches, and artworks. On the far side of the garden, you can view the trains as they set out across the landscape along Taiwan Railway train tracks. Your family can run, jump, play, or have a picnic in the garden to enjoy the beautiful mountains and fresh air.

The gardens are open to the public and free to access at all times.

Photo Spots

The museum is brimming with fun, eye-catching art installations and scenery where you will want to snap a photo and preserve your museum memories or share with friends and family back home. Explore the ones below, or find your own!

	Mountain Square outdoor courtyard
	Birthplace of the Rising Smoke mixed media painting
	The Spool of Time fiber art installation
	Empathy giant storybook
	Sea Wind wood sculpture
	Prehistoric stegodon "elephant" display
	Singo Barong reog performance mask
	Unfolding the Wings of Dreams fiber art installation

Getting Here

The National Museum of Prehistory’s main museum is located in Kangle, a small town on the outskirts of Taitung City near the Taitung airport. Taitung is part of the eastern region of Taiwan known for its diverse cultures and beautiful natural environment.

Address:  No.1 Museum Rd., Taitung, Taiwan, 950263, R.O.C. 

國立臺灣史前文化博物館 950臺東縣臺東市博物館路1號

 

Detailed Transportation Options

Private Car or Taxi	The museum is about 15-20 minutes from downtown, 15 minutes from the train station, and 10 minutes from the Taitung airport. Please see this address (國立臺灣史前文化博物館 950臺東縣臺東市博物館路1號) or click the button above to open Google Maps.  Taxis are available at the train station and downtown near the bus station and Sheraton Hotel. Please show the driver the above address.  Upon return, please call a taxi from the information desk. It may take about 15 minutes for a taxi to arrive.
Train	The NMP is a 10-minute walk from TRA Kangle Station.  For up-to-date train times, check the Taiwan Railway Corporation’s English Website here.  Times are provided as of 6/5/2025. Times and fees may change at the discretion of the transportation company.  TRA Train Departure Times Taitung Station → Kangle Station Kangle Station → Taitung Station 06:20 08:16 07:15 09:39 11:08 11:37 15:17 14:33 17:00 17:23 - 20:09
Public Bus	The 8115 bus route goes between Kangle Train Station and Taitung Bus Station (downtown), stopping by the Taitung Train Station in the middle.  The National Museum of Prehistory is one stop (1 minute) from Kangle Train Station.  Taitung Train Station - NMP: about 20 minutes Taitung Bus Station (Downtown) - NMP: about 40 minutes Please note there are only three buses per day. Google Maps times are not accurate. Bus times are provided as of 6/5/2025. Times and fees may change at the discretion of the transportation company.  From Taitung Bus Station Taitung Bus Station Taitung Train Station National Museum of Prehistory Kangle Train Station 7:20 am 7:40 am 7:54 am 7:55 am 11:20 am 11:40 am 11:54 am 11:55 am 3:20 pm 3:40 pm 3:54 pm 3:55 pm From Kangle Kangle Train Station National Museum of Prehistory Taitung Train Station Taitung Bus Station 8:10 am 8:11 am 8:25 am 8:45 am 12:10 pm 12:11 pm 12:25 pm 12:45 pm 4:10 pm 4:11 pm 4:25 pm 4:45 pm You can also check bus times and status here:  Bus Company Website (Chinese Only) : Click Here  Third Party App with English Information: Click Here
Bicycle or YouBike	Biking to the museum can be a great experience, as the roads are quite flat.  YouBike stations located at the Taitung Train Station, downtown, and at the museum. Both standard and electric assist models are available. Wearing a helmet is recommended. New to YouBike? Check out the website for more information! From Taitung Train Station ~ 25 minutes  To avoid sharing a bridge with cars, take the route with Riguang bridge, where you can ride on the wide sidewalk, and continue south to turn right onto Nandao Road.   From Downtown (Taitung Bus Station), ~ 35-40 minutes This route prioritizes bicycle paths and separation from cars. To save a few minutes, after exiting the Mountain-Ocean Bikeway, stay on the busier Provincial Highway 9 and turn left onto Museum Road.  Route Details From the Taitung Bus Station, ride north through Tiehua park along the Mountain-Ocean Bikeway. Cross the pedestrian bridge and continue along the bikeway until the Fengnian Road-Highway 9 intersection. Exit the bikeway through the Driving Range (Golf) parking lot, then turn right onto Nandao Road. At the end of the road, turn right on Guanqian Road to arrive at the museum.  Note: The sidewalk/bike path along the southern side of Nandao Road has fewer driveways and intersections, so it may be more comfortable to ride on that side regardless of direction.
Bus + Youbike	Bus + Youbike ~ 40 min Another transit option from downtown Taitung is first taking the bus to Fengtian Elementary School, then riding a YouBike for 10 minutes to the museum. From Taitung Bus Station, bus 8131, 8132, 8135, 8150, and 8151 pass Fengtian Elementary School.  Bus times are provided as of 6/5/2025. Times and fees may change at the discretion of the transportation company. Bus times are not accurate on Google Maps. From Downtown to the Museum Bus Number Departure Time from Taitung Train Station 8132 6:50 8135 10:40 8150 11:20 8135 13:50 8135 14:50 8132 15:40 8150 16:30 8135 17:25 8151 17:40 8131 18:00 8135 / 8151 18:25 8150 21:00 From the Museum to Downtown Bus Number Departure Time From Fengtian Elementary School 8150 7:12 8135 7:46 8135 8:56 8135 9:43 8132 11:09 8135 12:40 8150 13:15 8135 14:42 8132 14:43 8150 18:24