Built in 1913 as the Beitou Public Baths, this handsome building is a copy of the bathhouses in Shizuokaken Idouyama in Japan. Beitou Public Baths, which was the largest bathhouse in East Asia at that time, was built by Daikichi Imura, the magistrate of Taipei Prefecture under Japanese Colonial Government. After World War II, the Beitou Public Bathhouse was abandoned due to constantly changing institutions in charge.
Resource: Wikipedia
The design of the bathhouse was based on the Mount Izu Hot Spring Bathhouse in Japan. It is also a good example of the turn-of-the century fascination among Japanese architects for blending Eastern and Western architecture and aesthetics.
In 1994, a group of teachers and students from Beitou Elementary School discovered the deserted bathhouse on a field trip of local culture course, and petitioned for the conservation of it. The Beitou Public Bathhouse was finally declared Municipal Monument on February 20, 1997. After certain restorations, the Beitou Hot Spring Museum was open to Public on October 31, 1998.
As the very first building to be salvaged by the community and converted into a museum, the Hot Spring Museum has become a symbol of Beitou culture, also serving as the core of hot spring culture in Beitou. It is often viewed as the cluster of the rich Beitou local culture and resources.
The exterior, with its high roof and chimney, was built to resemble a British countryside villa. Upstairs, wooden verandas surround a tatami room where bathers once took tea and relaxed.
This building is designated as a Municipal Monument. To visit the museum you’ll need to swap your shoes for slippers (provided). To avoid blocking the visiting bath, use of tripods is not allowed.
Travel Info
Beitou Hot Spring Museum
[北投溫泉博物館/Běi tóu wēnquán bówùguǎn]
-Located in: Northern Taiwan
-County: Taipei
-Features: Historical Site, Museum, Hot Spring
-Highly recommend to: History Buffs, Couples, Families
-Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00(Closed on MOndays and national holidays)
-Contact: +886-2-28939981
-Website: Songshan Culture & Creative Park
-Address: No.2,Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan
-Transportation:
▸MRT：Tamsui-Xinyi MRT Line(Red) to Beitou station, transfer to the Xinbeitou branch Line and get off at Xinbeitou station.
▸Bus：Take bus No. 216, 218, 218(Shuttle), 266, S22 to Beitou Park Stop.
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Info quoted from Beitou Hot Spring Museum.
Thanks to Lonely Planet and Beitou Hot Spring Museum for the content sharing.
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