Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines

The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines is an indigenous culture museum in Shilin District housing over 2,000 objects including traditional tools, clothing, and ceremonial items. The collection spans four exhibition floors and documents the distinct cultures of Taiwan's aboriginal groups.

The museum was founded in 1994 by Lin Qing-Fu through the Lin Nai-Weng Foundation for Culture and Education, based on his personal collection of indigenous artifacts. This initiative grew from a commitment to preserve and share knowledge about Taiwan's aboriginal heritage.

The exhibits display everyday items, musical instruments, hunting equipment, and traditional clothing from Taiwan's indigenous groups. These objects show how the aboriginal communities lived and what role craftsmanship played in their daily lives and customs.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 and sits about 200 meters from the National Palace Museum. Its proximity to this major site makes it easy to visit both locations during one outing.

A white granite totem pole by artist Kuo Qing-Chi stands at the entrance, weighing 18 tonnes and embodying traditional artistic expression. This striking monument immediately signals the museum's focus on indigenous artistic traditions as you arrive.