After over eight years of meticulous planning and construction, the Tainan Museum of Art officially opened its doors in January 2019. Situated in the heart of Tainan’s historic and cultural district, the museum complex comprises two main structures. The first building is a renovated former police station from the 1930s. The second is a newly designed building, the result of a collaboration between Japanese architect Shigeru Sakamoto and the Chao Yung Shih architectural firm.
The museum houses a significant collection of artworks and historical crafts spanning 400 years, dedicated to preserving the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Tainan — Taiwan’s oldest city and historically its capital. The museum’s mission is to seamlessly integrate this cultural heritage into the fabric of modern daily life.
The new building, designed by Sakamoto Architects and Chao Yung Shih Architects, is characterized by its distinctive pentagonal roof. Inspired by the flowers of Tainan’s official tree, the Phoenix Wood, a unique canopy shelters the museum’s five-story stacked volumes, which include sixteen exhibition spaces. This canopy also forms a semi-outdoor platform that can be used for events and entertainment.
Overall, the building offers around 2,500 square meters of exhibition space, along with collection areas, a performance theater, a children’s art center, studios, gift shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Meanwhile, the original police station building (Building 1) has been thoroughly renovated and refurbished. It now houses new exhibition spaces, administrative offices, retail shops, and a food court. To enhance its function as an exhibition venue, three additional floors were added behind the original structure, expanding the exhibition area to 1,555 square meters.
Building 1, originally a police station from the 1930s, now serves as an integral part of the museum complex.
▲ Artwork by Israeli painter David Gerstein
Project Information:
Project Name: Tainan Museum of Art
Location: Tainan, Taiwan
Architectural Design: Shigeru Sakamoto Architectural Firm, Chao Yung Shih Architectural Firm
Opening Date: January 2019
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