Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) said yesterday that the National Palace Museum, a favorite destination for tourists visiting Taiwan, would be expanded so a greater number of exhibition halls could display the museum’s artifacts, reflecting Chinese history and culture.
The government plans to expropriate several plots of land around the museum in the Taipei City suburb of Waishuangxi (外雙溪) that are currently occupied by the military, Siew said during a Rotary Club function.
He said a lack of exhibition space means that many of the museum’s finest collections have been warehoused for years.
“With the number of tourists going to the National Palace Museum surging over the last year after Taiwan started allowing a greater numbers of tourists from China to visit, the need for more exhibition space has become even more pressing,” Siew added.
Meanwhile, Siew, who chairs the Centenary Celebration Preparation Committee on celebrations to mark the Republic of China’s (ROC) 100th anniversary next year, said most centennial celebrations have been finalized, including 15 theme events, seven international functions and various programs and celebrations sponsored by local governments nationwide.
Among the seven international functions that Taiwan will host next year are the International Design Alliance Congress, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference, the International Flora Expo and an LPGA tournament.
One of the programs will involve inviting 100 “foreign friends” from overseas for homestays in Taiwan, with Taiwanese Rotarians hosting them, Siew said.
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