It never ceases to amaze me the things I find around Tainan, and those two places I visited this Sunday in the middle of no-where countryside Tainan County were just unbelievably remarkable. I’ll start with the first one.
How Taiwan, a country the size of Israel with a sensitive political situation, has been able to nurture gigantic world-wide leaders such as Chimei and Acer is a mystery to me. Chimei’s the number one producer of ABS, plastics, in the whole world and it just so happens that the main site is here in Tainan County.
Chimei presence is apparent in NCKU, Tainan city and Tainan County. It so happens that some of the wealth of the Chimei corporation was devoted to building up an impressive private art collection which was later opened to the Taiwanese tourists as the Chimei Museum, one of the world biggest private museums. Why this museum is located in a grey ugly building where nobody can find it, far from the obvious tourist path and without any English language support and promotion, is beyond my comprehension. This museum is a true jewel.
I didn’t know this, but reservations should be made in advance, yet if you don’t have any, they’ll probably let you in anyways. Unfortunately, photography is forbidden inside, so I can only point you to their website and share some of the unimpressive outdoor garden with Michelangelo’s David welcoming the tourists inside :
Although I will be the first to admit my ignorance regarding art, I do believe the art collection they have inside is exquisite.
Paintings and sculpture, musical instruments, antiquities, arms and armor, and the kids favorite – stuffed natural history… they seem to have a little bit of all.
Highly recommended, especially if you’ve got somebody who knows something about art or is willing to translate the Chinese for you. More details are available on TaiwanFun.
and in Tainan County… who would have thought…
Great place to visit.