Wednesday, April 18, 2018

What’s an ‘Evergreen’ Museum?



I am in Taipei on a mission to find other museums besides the well-known National Palace Museum and came upon the Evergreen Maritime Museum. The name comes from one of the largest container shipping companies in the world. If you have ever been to a large container port, you would have seen green containers with the word ‘EVERGREEN’ on the side.  It was founded in Taiwan by Chang Yung-fa with one used ship and now has grown into a huge conglomerate that not only includes shipping but an airline (EVA Air) and hotels.




The Evergreen Maritime Museum is located in a building that was the former headquarters of the KMT political party but was sold to the Chang Yung-fa Foundation in 1996.  This landmark building is across from the East Gate and near the Presidential Office Building and is on some prime Taipei real estate.




The maritime museum encompasses five floors. There is a small entrance fee which is payable in the gift shop on the right when you enter. The recommendation is that you start on the fifth floor and work your way down.




The fifth floor contains a chronological construction history of ocean-going ship models starting from the earliest and ends up on the fourth floor with the modern ships such as the container ships that Evergreen uses.





The third floor is an art floor of many paintings where a ship or the ocean is the subject.




Modern container ship

The second floor is where one learns about the skills needed in ocean navigation with a few hands-on displays for kids.




Learn how to tie knots


Overall a well-done museum related to commercial shipping. Well worth a rainy morning or afternoon.


Museum website: Evergreen Maritime Museum


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