The Ministry of Education is offering free admission to science museums nationwide for visitors under the age of 19 from next month to August, to encourage domestic tourism.
From July 1 to Aug. 31, people born after July 1, 2001, would have unlimited free admission to Taichung’s National Museum of Natural Science; Taipei’s National Taiwan Science Education Center, which is expected to reopen on July 15; Kaohsiung’s National Science And Technology Museum; Pingtung County’s National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium; and Keelung’s National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Free admission to the National Museum of Natural Science includes its galleries and some special exhibits, its Space Theater, 3D theater and botanical garden, as well as the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan in Taichung’s Wufeng District (霧峰), the Fonghuanggu Bird and Ecology Park and the Chelungpu Fault Preservation Park in Nantou County, it said.
Photo: Wang Chu-hsiu, Taipei Times
Under 19 visitors to the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology would have access to its main exhibits, some special exhibits, the IMAX 3D theater and the nearby Chaojing Ocean Center, it said.
Free entrance to the National Taiwan Science Education Center and the National Science and Technology Museum would include access to permanent and some special exhibits, while visitors to the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium would have access to all exhibits, it said.
The ministry said it expects the program to attract 300,000 visitors and generate NT$100 million (US$3.36 million).
In related news, the ministry is to hold the inaugural Taiwan Science Festival from Oct. 31 to Nov. 15, with the theme of “The Earth, Ours to Care.”
The festival — a collaboration among the ministry, the Central Weather Bureau, local governments, universities and other groups — is to feature performances, films, a market and other events, the ministry said.
The ministry said it estimates that the festival would attract 200,000 participants and generate NT$40 million.
Meanwhile, a number of sports-related events to be held in the second half of the year are also expected to draw a combined 400,000 visitors and generate NT$800 million, the ministry said.
They include the Taiwan Sport Industry Expo, the National High School Athletic Games, the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games, the Citizens Sports Games, the National Disabled Games and a variety of events to coincide with National Mountaineering Day, it said.
Organizers of education and sports events that were postponed in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic should resume planning, it said.
The ministry is also planning more activities to promote tourism and stimulate the economy that combine education and entertainment, it added.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19