Taipei 228 Memorial Museum

Inside 228 Peace Memorial Park, the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum documents the 228 Incident and its lasting effect on Taiwanese society. Exhibits use photographs, broadcasts, clothing and personal belongings to trace events and individual lives. English-language material and audio guides help you follow the history, and admission is free. Set aside about an hour to read the detailed displays; the museum is a thoughtful stop for understanding a difficult period in Taiwan’s recent past.

A building tied to Taiwan’s broadcasting history

The museum is housed in a building with a direct connection to the events it documents. In 1930, the Government-General of Taiwan established the Taipei Radio Station at this site to develop broadcasting. The Taiwan Broadcasting Association took over the broadcasting business in 1931. After the National Government of the Republic of China took control of Taiwan in 1945, the association was renamed Taiwan Radio.

During the 228 Incident in 1947, the radio station played a role in broadcasting announcements from government, military and civilian representatives. That history gives the building another layer of meaning alongside the museum’s account of the incident.

Following events through objects and records

The displays bring together a chronology, photographs, broadcasts from the period, clothing and belongings of people involved. These materials help place individual lives within a broader account of the events and their aftermath. The exhibits also consider how the incident shaped people’s lives and beliefs.

The museum connects the 228 Incident with the White Terror period that followed, when martial law remained in force for more than 40 years. The incident and the decades after it had a profound effect on Taiwanese society and its eventual transition towards democracy. Audio guides provide further context, including individual stories and testimony.