Chimei Museum (Chimei Museum)

The museum was first established and headquartered in the main building of Chi Mei Corporation in 1992 by company founder Shi Wen-long. Mr. Shi is a successful businessman and has a strong passion for music, especially the violin, he is known for the largest collection of antique violins housed in his museum.

The museum is designed by the talented architect Tsai Yi-cheng, inspired mainly by the Renaissance period and shows the quintessence of Western culture. So you will see a large number of large dome and column designs typical of Western architecture. A guitar workshop is also located within the museum's premises.

With 2 large floors including 4 main galleries including fine art, natural history and fossils, weapons and armor, musical instruments and sculptures. The museum has a collection of European paintings from the 13th to 20th centuries, highlighting the formation and development of Western art. The weapons exhibition area is extremely diverse spanning the periods from prehistoric times, the Bronze Age, Iron Age to modern times. The collection has a number of artifacts in the country or neighboring areas. The founder of the museum thinks that he will try to introduce the achievements and quintessence of the fields of history, culture and art, etc. to inspire the future descendants of the island nation of Taiwan and tourists without needing to be. must visit many places in the world.

The most prominent feature of the museum is a collection of musical instruments of historical significance, especially the violin and other stringed instruments of world-renowned artists such as Antonio Stradivari, Guarneri del Gesù, Jacob Stainer, Amati, Rogeri, Joseph Guarneri Filius Andrea, Vincenzo Rugeri, Seraphin, Gagliano, Guadagnini… As of 2019, the museum holds more than 1,370 violins. The museum is always ready to support and lend ancient instruments to talented musicians for composing and performing.

Outside the museum is a large, airy space, suitable for people of all ages to walk and breathe in the fresh air. It will not be an exaggeration when there are some comments from many visitors that this place is like a miniature White House in Asia. The closer you get, the more you will admire with an overall block with typical European architecture surrounded by many small lakes.

The museum is open to visitors daily from 09.30 AM to 05.30 PM, closed every Wednesday. Entrance fee is NT$ 200/adult. From Tainan city center, you take the train to Bao'an Station, transfer to Red 3 or Red 4 bus line and get off at Tainan Urban Park Station, the museum is located on the premises. member of the park.