Should be right up quite a few people’s streets here. The newly reburbished and re-opened Taiwan National Museum in the 228 park has an exhibition on Taiwan cartography that will run until September 18.
I’m kind of far from there, but if anyone goes, I’d appreciate if you’d take a looksee if they have any “posterized” maps for sale.
Thanks for the heads-up Sandman. I’m very keen to see this.
Brian
Just visited it - interesting in parts. Definitely worth visiting if you like maps; there were quite a few interesting maps from the early explorers. It’s amazing how wrong some of the early maps were … how some explorers ever managed to find their way about is a mystery to me. Also, the early Chinese maps were almost totally incomprehensible to me. Most amusing bit: they had a newspaper clipping from London which explained that Formosa means beautiful island - “but that is only true of the Western part of the isle. The East is covered in mountains and filled with natives with little or no clothes or furniture.” 
They also had sections on maps from the Japanese era (first really accurate maps), Aborigines (maps and culture), and modern maps (which was disappointing).
There ain’t much explanation in English - and the gift shop has virtually nothing (I don’t think you could even buy an atlas/map of Taiwan there!).
Free entry until Sunday (but it’s only NT$20 after that)
The bookstore operated by the CAA sells a variety of historical maps including “posterized” reproductions.
Council for Cultural Affairs Bookstore
30-1 Beiping East Road
Taipei
Links:
books.cca.gov.tw/shop/front/bin/ … Part=map32
http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh94/maps/
http://map.thm.gov.tw/map/index.html
I visited the exhibit on Sunday. There’s not much to it, but if you’re interested in early maps of Taiwan it’s (just) worth a look. I was really just interested in a couple of maps of old Taipei.
As for gifts, there are poster-maps in the gift shop for 200-500NT each., i might buy a couple, but I want to first compare with the place Chung mentioned (thnaks) and SMC Publishing, which also has some map reprint posters.
Brian
I liked the exhibition though it seemed a little repetitive, especially the stuff on 3rd floor. I loved the Chinese maps. And I liked the one where they pointed out how the outline of Taiwan on the early maps had changed over time.
Bri, I went to SMC yesterday. They have all the maps I’ve found at the Handicraft Market and the museum shops so far and quite a few more. I didn’t buy any more because I already have a few.
Iris
Just came across this awesome website (if you like old taiwan maps).
It is from the exibition the national palace put on a few years ago, which is what the exhibition first mention in this thread is based on. (except national palace show was much better).
npm.gov.tw/exhbition/formosa/english/
(note, for some strange reason, this link does not work directly from this forum, so copy and paste to a new browser window and it should work fine)
I went to the exhibit first mentioned (a few months ago) it was interesting walking around the old building. Also, one of the displays had an interesting book opened to a page about foreigners stranded in taiwan way back when. kind of interesting to hear their story.
[quote=“4nr”]http://www.npm.gov.tw/exhbition/formosa/English/
(note, for some strange reason, this link does not work directly from this forum, so copy and paste to a new browser window and it should work fine)[/quote]
Copy and paste this one. It’s because of the upper case E.