The collection that fills a mountain

The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds one of the finest collections of Chinese imperial art anywhere in the world. The numbers are hard to grasp: somewhere around seven hundred thousand objects, of which only a small fraction is on display at any one time because the rest is stored in the hillside behind the building.

That is both the appeal and the problem. You cannot see it all, and trying will destroy you. The museum rewards a plan, not stamina.

What is actually on show

Because the collection rotates, there is no fixed list of highlights. A few pieces are famous enough that they appear often, and if you are lucky you will catch them.

• The Jadeite Cabbage, a piece of jade carved into a napa cabbage with an insect hidden in the leaves.
• The Meat-shaped Stone, a piece of jasper that looks unsettlingly like a braised pork belly.
• Bronze ritual vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, which are older than most things you will see anywhere.
• Landscape paintings and calligraphy that change with each rotation, since the works are light-sensitive.

Popular pieces draw crowds, and the museum manages this with timed entry to certain galleries. Go to the famous items first thing if they matter to you, then slow down for everything else.

How to visit without burning out

Pick a theme

The museum is arranged by type and period, so instead of walking every room, choose two or three areas that interest you. Bronzes and ceramics, or painting and calligraphy, or jade and decorative arts. See those properly and leave the rest.

Use the audio guide

The rental guide is worth the small fee. Without context, a case of identical-looking bowls is just a case of bowls. With it, you learn why one glaze was hard to fire and why that mattered. It turns a stroll into a visit.

Take breaks

There is a tea area and a garden, and stepping outside for twenty minutes halfway through makes the second half much easier. The building is large and the floors add up.

Practical details

• The museum is in Shilin, in the northern part of the city, and is closed on Mondays.
• Admission is a modest fee, cheaper for students and free for some categories of visitor.
• Hours run through the day, with extended opening on some evenings. Check the official site, since it changes by season.
• Weekday mornings are the quietest. Weekend afternoons are a scrum.
• There are lockers and a cloakroom, so you do not have to carry a bag through the galleries.

Getting there

Take the MRT to Shilin station and then a public bus up the hill, which takes about fifteen minutes. Buses run frequently and the route is well signposted. A taxi from the city centre takes around twenty to thirty minutes depending on traffic.

You can also combine it with a visit to the nearby Zhishan and Shilin night market areas, which makes a good full day out of the northern side of the city.

What to skip

Some rooms are honestly worth walking past. Do not feel obliged to stand in line for a piece just because a guidebook told you to. The bronze galleries, for instance, are extraordinary but dense, and if you have already spent your attention on ceramics, you will not get much from them. Better to leave slightly curious than thoroughly numb.

Is it worth it if you are not a museum person?

Yes, with a caveat. Give it two focused hours rather than a whole day, pick one thing to care about, and treat the rest as scenery. The collection is extraordinary, but you do not owe it marathon attendance. The jade cabbage does not care whether you stayed until closing.

Originally published on 71Asia Tours blog.