Major Events

Year 1980

July - During the construction of the Peinan Station and switchyard, the cultural heritage was unearthed. The exquisite artifacts buried with the dead inside the coffins were excavated, and attracted great interest from the public, as well as unfortunately, some illegitimate excavation and looting due to extensive coverage from the media.

September - Based on the prehistoric remains and burial complex unearthed during the excavation, the Peinan Site is proven to be a matchless site not only in Taiwan, but also throughout Southeast Asia.

Year 1983

March - The Ministry of Education established the NMP Planning Bureau to take charge of the planning process for a national museum, namely The National Museum of Prehistory.

Year 1988

March - As the Ministry of the Interior announced the Peinan Site to be Class I site, the Site is officially protected by the Cultural Assets Preservation Law.

Year 1989

April - The Ministry of Education drafted "The National Museum of Prehistory Planning Project", whereas the Executive Yuan approved the project as the blueprint of the museum construction plan, and the objective for the construction was defined.

Year 1990

January - The Ministry of Education appointed Professor Chao-mei Lien of the National Taiwan University to take up the post of the Director of the Planning Bureau.

February - The NMP Planning Bureau was established on February 1.

December - Archaeologists of the bureau started the following plans:

Year 1991

October - The Ministry of the Interior pointed out the possible damages to the Site if the museum were to be built at the Peinan Site as formerly scheduled. After the third conference, the Former Minister Mao directed the search for a new construction site. The levied land would be preserved as the excavation site and Peinan Cultural Park to display the natural history of Taiwan.

Year 1992

February - The Director of the Planning Bureau, Professor Chao-mei Lien, returned to the faculty of Anthropology Department in National Taiwan University, and her place was taken over by Mr. Yeh-i Chang, the Deputy Director of National CKS Cultural Center. The jobs of research, storage, exhibition, education, and hardware facilities of the bureau continued in progression respectively.

March - Tunghe Site was damaged during the construction of Expressway 11. The bureau began urgent rescue of Tunghe Site.

May - Huagangshan Site in Hualien County was damaged due to the construction of a stadium. The bureau started 1-month rescue at the end of the month

Year 1993

March - Directorate General of Highways requested the Bureau to report "Evaluation on the Effect of Taitung County Expressway 11 Construction on the Prehistoric Research". The evaluation covers the 2-year construction, and the Bureau has to carry out the museum construction according to the outcomes reported therein. The research and collection of the site in East Coast of Taiwan are carried out concurrently.

Year 1997

January - Trial operation of Peinan Cultural Park. The park was opened in a multistage fashion, and it has become a popular tourist attraction in East Taiwan.

Year 1998

March - A-you Lai, a farmer of Jiushianglan in Taimali Township, Taitung County, discovered slate coffins while digging an impounding reservoir in his private orchard. After the research conducted by museum staff, they were found to belong to the Jiushianglan Site.

Year 1999

February - The construction of the NMP was awarded number one in Quality Appraisal of Infrastructure Construction in the First Half Year of Year 1999 by the educational institutions associated with the Ministry of Education and the NMP.

May - Commencement of the excavation of Chialulan Site in the East Coast of Taitung County.

August - The construction of the NMP was once again awarded number one in Quality Appraisal of Public Construction in the Second Half Year of Year 1999 by the educational institutions associated with the Ministry of Education and the NMP.

Commencement of the excavation of Maoshan Site that was within the area of Road No.1-2 of Taitung New Station construction.

Year 2000

May - Peinan Cultural Park was awarded with excellence in the Second National Refined Garden Landscape Competition by the Department of Construction, the Ministry of the Interior.

Year 2001

June - In order to fulfill the last wish of her husband Mr. Si-bo Lu, Ms. Shiu-ying Hwang donated 6944 valuable archaeological artifacts that were collected by her husband throughout his lifetime to the NMP for permanent collection, of which 86 items were placed in the NMP as permanent exhibits.

July - The trial operation and public opening of the NMP. Vice President Lu Hsiu-lien, the Minister of Education Chih-lang Tzeng, the Academia Sinica Academician Wen-hsiung Song attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the NMP's opening ceremony.

Special Exhibition of "Treasures of China˘w the Exhibition of One Hundred Quintessence from the National Palace Museum".

The second exhibition room of The Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan Exhibition had to go under repair due to damages resulted from the fire caused by the wiring.

September - Special Exhibition of "Treasures of Taiwan˘wThe Exhibition of Eastern Prehistoric and Indigenous Tribal Artifacts".

October - The presentation of public arts, special exhibition of "The Exhibition of the Environment and Creative Arts of the Indigenous Peoples."

Year 2002

January - First stage opening of the NMP after the repair. Special exhibition of "The Culture of Chu Kingdom".

March - Researcher Cheng-hwa Tsang of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica took up the position of the Director.

August - Special exhibition of "Talking Photos˘wThree Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan under Camera Lenses".

Special exhibition of "Telling One's Own Story ˘w Workshop of Indigenous Cultural Exhibition".

BOT seminar.

October - Council for Cultural Affairs invited experts of the World Heritage to partake in the evaluation of the Peinan Site.

November - Government Information Office held the exhibition of "2002 Photography Tour of Taiwan Vitality" in the NMP.

December - Special exhibition "The Force and Beauty of the Weak Sound from the Tribe ˘w Contemporary Creative Cultural Display of the Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan" and the exhibition activities.

Council for Cultural Affairs "The Exhibition of Potential Sites of Taiwan's World Heritage" and "The Exhibition of Austronesian Music Instruments" of Taitung County Government was held in the NMP.

Official opening of Peinan Cultural Park.

Year 2003

March - Ministry of Education designated the NMP as the institution of preserving the archaeological remains from Tainan Science-based Industrial Park.

Taitung Social Education transferred 1254 items of prehistoric and eastern indigenous artifacts to the NMP.

April - Executive Yuan Premier Yu Shyi-kun paid an inspection visit to local constructions of Taitung County on April 10, 2003. Responding to the proposal made by the local councilor, he came to a decision to establish Austronesian Cultural Park in Taitung and recruit an interdepartmental team to set it into action. The team is headed by Dr. Chih-nan Chen from the Executive Yuan. The plan is directed by the Ministry of Education, and executed by NMP.

May - "East Taiwan Tours of Imitative Paintings of Chihmei Art", a joint exhibition with Chihmei Museum.

June - "The Homeland of Mountains and Oceans - The Exhibition of the Indigenous Cultures of South Pacific Ocean".

July - "Tradition and Revolution ˘w The Exhibition of the Cultures and Arts of Indigenous Tribes of North America and Southeast Taiwan".

August - Opening anniversary concert.

September - Due to billows that caused by the typhoon, underground site in Jiushianglan area of County Taimali Village, Taitung County were washed above the ground. A-you Lai, an old farmer, founded pottery debris on the seashore and notified the NMP. NMP soon sent investigators for inspection, and carried out appropriate preservation plan.

October The events held in Taitung County of the seminar tour on World Heritage -- Council for Cultural Affairs, were hosted by the NMP.

"Second Taiwan International Ethnic Chronicle", the follow-up seminar tour of the film festival was held.

Air Force Chihang Base donated prehistoric artifacts that were excavated inside the base. An agreement of cooperation on cultural administration was signed by Taitung County Government and the NMP.

November - "A Song of the Reminiscence of Father: The Music Life of Shih Chen, Yi-sheng Kao and Seng-bao Lu".

A visit by Executive Yuan Premier Yu Shyi-kun on November 13. The decision on the establishment of the Austronesian Cultural Park in Taitung County was announced, and the plan was said to be a part of the "5-Year, 500 billion, 10 Projects Plan" proposal.

Year 2004

January - Special exhibition of "Formosan Macaque".

March - A request from the Ministry of Education to hold the 15th Directors' Conference of Subordinate Organizations.

A discussion on possible collaboration with the National Taitung University on establishment of the Austronesian Cultural Park.

The Ministry of Education appointed the NMP to be responsible for constructing a branch museum at the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park.

April - Preparation meeting for the planning of the Austronesian Cultural Park and the NMP branch in Tainan County.

Commencement of the special exhibition of "Treasures inside the Prehistoric Trash Pits - the Exhibition of Prehistoric Artifacts Donated by Si-bo Lu and De-ling Kuo"

May - Commencement of the special exhibition of "The Dialogue between the Tangible and Intangible Assets"

Commencement of the special exhibition of "Paying Respect to Our National Treasure- Exhibition of a Tribute to the elders with tattoo on their hands".

Commencement of the special exhibition of "Indigenous Picture Books - Exhibition of Illustration and Children's Books"

December ˇV Special Exhibition of Woodcarvings of Rukai and Paiwan Tribes

Year 2005

January - Greeting for the New Year-Special Exhibition about roosters in the Chinese zodiac.

February ˇV The teaching proposal of ˇ§Running to the nature-entering the Peinan Cultural Parkˇ¨, which was co-edited by the Peinan Cultural Park and teacher Han-Pei Ji of Shinyuan Elementary School, Ji-Chen Cheng of Chulu Elementary School , win the prize of Local teaching materials.

May - Special exhibition of 4000-year-old stone tool workshops on Qimei Island, Penguh.
Exhibition of ˇ§Aboriginalsˇ¦ craft training classˇ¨ by the National Kuan-shan Vocational Senior High School.

June ˇVˇ§2005 I love NMPˇ¨ children painting competition-ˇ§Lots of hands, Lots of peopleˇ¨ Exhibition of Handicrafts cooperated by NMP and the Indigenous Communities.

This hall obtained the seventh executive organ and served the quality award- whole award.

Operate jointly with the office cultural bureau of Taitung county ' Taiwan to chase the township song ~~It carry on one's shoulder or back the 17th century manage daily life education show period '.

August ˇVOperate jointly ' 2005 southeast island cultural festival serial activities ' with the office of Taitung county.