National 2-28 Memorial Museum

Top choice in Taipei


This graceful memorial to the victims of the 2-28 Incident is housed in a beautiful Japanese building dating back to 1931. The excellent permanent exhibition charts in detail the tragic events of February 1947 and the subsequent years of White Terror. The English audio guide (free) is essential as there is little written in English. Many of the stories are brutal and moving.

The building is also lovely to just walk around, especially the sweeping staircase in the central lobby. It has formerly been used as a school dormitory, the Taiwan Provincial Assembly offices and the American Institute in Taiwan Cultural Center.