The Paleontology Museum was completed in 1933 (Showa 8) and was formerly the Taipei branch of the Japan Industrial Bank. In 2010, it transformed into a branch of the National Taiwan Museum. *Some content in this system is translated using AI. If you find any errors or areas for improvement, please feel free to report them through the "Suggestions" feature to help us continuously optimize service quality.

National Taiwan Museum - Paleontology Museum

國立臺灣博物館數位導覽系統（古生物館）

Paleo Exhibition - Walking within Skeletons

古生物大展-生命的史詩與演化共舞

古蹟探秘勸業銀行舊廈古蹟修復常設展

Exploring Historical Sites-Permanent Exhibition on the Restoration of the Old Kuangye Bank Building

古蹟探秘-勸業銀行舊廈古蹟修復常設展

History of the Land Bank

土地銀行行史

臺博好物（古生物館）

華語

Indonesia

臺灣台語

臺灣客語

Tiếng Việt

 한국어

日本語

English

NTM Guide

System Info

Stamp Rally

Survey

Suggestions

Branch Map

​The Land Bank Exhibition Hall building served at the Bank’s headquarters following the Second World War. Under Japanese Colonial rule, Nippon Kangyo Bank constructed the building in 1933 to house its Taipei Branch. The three story steel reinforced concrete building features 13 giant round columns closely arranged around its exterior along with heavy walls, which impart a sense of stability and security. The exterior columns, walls, cornice, and parapet all feature a strong western design sensibility, while the interior ceiling incorporates geometric designs from the Art Deco movement resulting in a diverse combination of styles.

Taiwan Bank Historical Museum Building

土銀行史館建築

The Biologist: Hi everyone, I'm a biologist! Dino: And I'm "Dino," the mascot of the Taiwan Land Bank Exhibition Hall! B: Do you know how the Universe came to be? Well, according to the Big Bang Theory, the Universe started out as a singularity - A single point in space that was infinitely dense. The singularity eventually erupted in a massive explosion, expanding at immense speeds and cooling down as it inflated in size. 10 to 20 billion years ago lighter elements, like hydrogen and helium, formed. These lighter elements coalesced into stars, which gave birth to heavier elements, like iron, through nuclear fusion or explosive supernovas that occur at the end of a star's life. D: Well, then, how was the Sun created? B: Imagine you're holding a hose up to a window, and you spray the glass with water. The water drops will gravitate toward one another and become larger drops as they come in contact. The&nbsp;formation of the Sun can be described as a similar process. D: What about the Earth? B: Collisions between massive stellar objects formed the planets that orbit around our Sun, the Earth included. When two objects collide, heat is generated. In the case of the Earth, large rocks crashed together in space, and became so hot that their surfaces were covered in magma. These rocks melted together. Lighter elements remained on the surface of the rock, forming the atmosphere. Heavier elements were deposited beneath the surface. As collisions became less frequent, the lava on the Earth's surface had a chance to cool and form the Earth' s Crust. Beneath the Crust is the Mantle, a layer of hot liquid magma. Water vapor in the atmosphere cooled and fell back to the surface as liquid water. The Earth is the perfect distance away from the Sun for liquid water to exist. Earth' s oceans have been around now for about 4 billion years! D: There's rock, water and air....What&nbsp;about life? B: If we take the entire duration of Earth's 4.6 billion year history and shrunk it into a 24-hour day, then the first life forms would have appeared at around 3 to 4 o'clock in the morning.

The formation of the Earth

地球的形成

B: The beginning of life began in the sea. The atmosphere wasn't robust enough to block out the Sun's ultraviolet rays, so conditions on living for land were still hostile and inhospitable. D: With such harsh conditions, the earliest life forms couldn't have been&nbsp;too complex! B: The first organisms were single-celled prokaryotes - Made up of a cell membrane, genetic material and proteins. The basic building blocks of life. D: Oh, is that the DNA that everyone is talking about? B: Actually, no! Even though deoxyribonucleic acid - or DNA, for short - is the means by which most life forms pass on their traits from one generation to another, evidence now suggests that the first life forms relied on RNA. RNA not only contains the necessary information for transmitting genetic information, but it is also an important catalyst for many chemical&nbsp;&nbsp;reactions that sustain life. It can survive in many different kinds of environments, and integrate itself easily in different spaces. Later on, the more complex eukaryotic cell appeared, and it was able to contain much more information, allowing for the formation of DNA, which is the genetic medium which we, as humans, possess. B: Nobel Prize Scholar Theodosius Dobzhansky once said, "nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution," demonstrating just how vital evolution is to modern day life sciences. D: What scientific hypotheses about evolution should I know? B: Well, the two prevailing hypotheses are "natural selection" and "epigenetics" . Charles Darwin made the compelling argument for natural selection, which had four steps. 1. Each generation is genetically diverse due to recombination and mutation. 2.&nbsp;Almost every living organism produces more offspring than can ultimately survive. 3. Constraints on resources and&nbsp;&nbsp;changing factors in the environment result in a struggle for existence. 4. Those most suited for survival will prevail, and thus pass on their traits to subsequent generations. Lamarck emphasized the effects living environment had on genetic changes. Today, modern biology has adopted the theory of epigenetics, which combines Lamarck and Darwin' s theories into a single cohesive school of thought. It' s generally agreed upon that environment does have some significant effect on the ways genetic traits manifest themselves.

The Beginning of Life and Evolution

生命的起源與演化

Paleontologist: Ahem, excuse me, l' m the Paleontologist. I' II be your guide for this part of the exhibit. Pal: Around 540 million years ago, the Cambrian Period just began. Various life forms suddenly appeared on Earth, including the most basic ancestors of all animals that exist today. In the deeper layers of the Earth, the fossils of these ancient animals wait to be discovered. Isn't this amazing? These Cambrian period fossils are known as the&nbsp;"ChengJiang Fossils." Among them is the fossil of an ancient Arthropod called the Trilobite. Trilobites appeared 540 million years ago and went extinct by the end of the Paleozoic Era. Their fossils are an important marker when studying geological layers. The carapace of the Trilobite was divided into left, center and right portions. These creatures evolved into many different species, making them as diverse as the&nbsp;&nbsp;butterfly! Pal: Cephalopods grow their feet on their heads. These soft-bodied creatures include shellfish, snails and cuttlefish. During the Paleozoic Era, the most common Cephalopods included Ammonites, Nautilidae and Orthoceras. The fossils of these creatures, like Trilobites, are important for identifying different layers of the Earth and rock. Pal: Ammonites and Natuilidae look cosmetically similar, but they're substantially different on the inside. Nautilus shells have simple segmentation and structure, while their suture patterns are equally elementary. Ammonites on the other hand had complex variations in the shapes and sizes of their shell structure and suture&nbsp;patterns. Pal: Sea lilies are plants in name&nbsp;&nbsp;only. These curious creatures are Echnioderms, the same classification of animal that sea urchins and sea cucumbers fall under. Using their feather-like appendages, they filter-feed on microscopic organisms. Some sea lilies have stalks that help anchor them to the seabed, sticking out like a flower on the sea floor. Stalkless sea lilies float around aimlessly with the currents of the ocean. The top of every sea lily has several appendages that protrude out, which make them look like a pre-historic aquatic flower.

Paleozoic Sea Party

熱鬧的古生代海洋：三葉蟲、海百合、菊石、鸚鵡螺、直角石

Primitive fish did not have upper and lower jaws; they possessed eyes, external gills, and a notochord, but their dorsal nerve cord was not protected by vertebrae and was only closely surrounded by shell-like membranous structures. During the Cambrian period, the ancestors of fish saw the emergence of jawed species, which had upper and lower jaws that significantly enhanced the feeding capabilities of chordates, allowing them to consume larger prey and develop different foraging methods, while the large oral cavity also improved respiratory efficiency.Around 420 million years ago, in the Silurian period, fish evolved into lobe-finned fish with fin rays containing central bones, such as lungfish, which had gills that allowed them to survive underwater without breathing, as well as gills that replaced breathing on land. Subsequently, the spiny extensions of the forelimbs developed distinct elbow skin, and the limbs had webbed toes, enabling them to glide and float in shallow marshes. These conditions allowed vertebrates to come ashore, leading to the evolution of the first terrestrial vertebrates—amphibians. Although most lobe-finned fish are now extinct, they are directly related to the evolution of later amphibians and tetrapods.Although amphibians made it onto land, most still needed to lay their eggs in water, and their larvae also had to live in water. By the late Carboniferous period, marine ecosystems were already established, but there were still few organisms in the dry inland areas. It wasn't until the emergence of amniotes, such as reptiles and mammals, which had protective membranes for their embryos, that significant changes occurred. After 305 million years ago, the Carboniferous rainforest collapse event took place, severely impacting amphibians that relied on rainforests for survival, allowing amniotes to become the dominant group of vertebrates.

Note

The organism has landed!

生物上岸了！

B: Whale sharks, also known as "tofu sharks" in Asia, are the largest known fish. As its name contains both "shark" and "whale," people often have trouble understanding just what kind of animal it is. In reality, whale sharks are cartilaginous sharks, making them fish. Do you see its large mouth? The whale shark is a filter feeder that eats microscopic organisms and smaller fish. Even though the whale shark is an apex predator, it's threatened by the fishing activity of humans. Whale sharks are a protected animal in Taiwan, and their capture is strictly prohibited by the law.

Whale Sharks

是鯨還是鯊—鯨鯊

D: Everyone knows l' m a dinosaur. That' s obvious enough. But, there are some things in here that look like Dinosaurs, but actually aren' t! B: Dinosaurs were a group of specialized terrestrial reptiles - 'Terrestrial' meaning that they were strictly land animals. Anything that swam in the water or flew in the air can't be&nbsp;categorized as a dinosaur. Each different dinosaur had its own set of unique characteristics. For example, let's take a look at the tyrannosaurus in the exhibit. The various holes in the skull of the tyrannosaurus increased its bite force, and decreased the weight-load of its bones. Many dinosaurs had pelvic bones that were directly connected to their thigh bones. The ends of the pelvic bone had a distinct protrusion meant to increase stability, and enhance the coordination and movements of each dinosaur.Most dinosaurs had limbs situated under their body, which allowed them to support their massive frames and enabled upright movement. Furthermore, their construction helped them move quickly for vicious takedowns and quick getaways.

The Age of Reptiles - Tyrannosaurus

爬蟲類稱霸的中生代－特暴龍、伶盜龍

&nbsp;The Ankylosaurus was the armored tank of the Mesozoic Era. Its entire body was covered in a series of hard carapaces that offered maximum defense and protection from would-be attackers. Sauropods were a group of massive dinosaurs that included Diplodocuses, Supersauruses, Titanosauruses and Seismosauruses. They could grow up to lenths in excess of 50 meters, that's longer than 3 busses combined! Psittacosaurus had a mouth that resembled the beak of a parrot, with teeth that were thin and shaped like chisels. It was a member of the horned dinosaur family that was exclusive to modern-day Asia. Psittacosaurus was rather small, and existed during the Cretaceous Period. It was an early ancestor of the Protoceratops. Within the duck-billed dinosaur family, each species had a different head ornament. The Spinosaurus had a large fin of thorns that resembled a French&nbsp;horn. Scientists now believe the fins played a role in communication and courtship. The Triceratops existed in modern-day America. On its head were three horns that were quite similar to that of a Rhino. The horns were used for fighting and courtship.&nbsp;&nbsp; Pachycephalosaurus had a thick cranium that resembled the helmet of an American football player. These thick skulls were used for fighting and attracting females. The Camarasaurus was a Sauropod that existed during the late Jurassic Period. Its body could grow up to 18 meters long, and it weighed upwards of 18 metric tons. The Camarasaursus had a peculiar skull with many cavities and raised nasal passages. Many experts initially thought it was an aquatic creature upon its discovery. The Mesozoic Era was packed to the brim with different species of dinosaurs like the Zhongyuansaurus and the Huanghetitan. You can find their footprints here!

The Age of Reptiles 

爬蟲類稱霸的中生代－洛陽中原龍、黃河巨龍、三角龍、厚頭龍

D: Carnivorous dinosaurs belonged to the Theropod suborder. Most Theropods were predators, with the tyrannosaurus having the largest bodies and brains. Their teeth were curved, and serrated around the edges. The tyrannosaurus had extremely short arms, each with two fingers. Its back legs, on the other hand, were massive and muscular, with four clawed toes each, three of which touched the ground, while the other protruded backwards. B: The Deinonychus from America and the Velociraptors of Asia belonged to the common ancestor group Maniraptora. They share a similar lineage with modern day birds. These vicious predators had a sickle-sharp second toe that could be retracted and concealed like a weapon. D: Velociraptors may have been small, but they were quick and hunted in packs. They were the most vicious&nbsp;&nbsp;predators of the Cretaceous Period. D: Speaking of carnivores and herbivores, I think everyone should know that dinosaurs DID NOT EAT GRASS. B: Well, that's only because grass, as we know it, wasn't around during the Mesozoic Era. In fact, many of the plants that are around today evolved thanks to herbivorous dinosaurs. By studying teeth arrangement, teeth structure and the fossilized contents of dinosaur stomachs, archaeologists can deduce whether a dinosaur was a carnivore or an herbivore. D: It's all in the teeth! Herbivorous dinosaurs had teeth that were flat, and not too sharp. Check out the many rows of teeth that duck-billed dinosaurs had. Isn't that amazing?

Carnivorous and Herbivorous Dinosaurs

肉食性恐龍與植食性恐龍

B: Taiwan has rich biodiversity. This wall over here depicts 65 of the most commonly found mammals and birds in Taiwan, moving toward a brighter future. The Formosan Sambar Deer is a subspecies that is endemic to Taiwan. The one shown here is still an adolescent, as a fully matured Sambar Deer is taller than a human. Formosan Black Bears are another subspecies of bear that can only be found in Taiwan. Each one has a V-shaped white mark on its chest. Pangolins are peculiar animals that are covered in hard armor-like scales. They have rather thick toenails, which they take specific care of when they walk. B: The Crested Serpent Eagle is the most commonly found eagle in Taiwan. It has a wing span of up to 150 centimeters. There are also countless other beautiful avian creatures that can be found in Taiwan, like the Kingfisher. These elegant little birds can be seen on tree branches, gazing into bodies of water, looking for fish to catch. They' re quick and nimble little friends. Finally, the ever busy Taiwan barbet can be seen in the nearby 228 Park, knocking away at the trunk of trees, like a Buddhist monk knocking on a temple block.

The Wall of Life

生物多樣性光牆

B: Mammals have three distinct features: hair, mammary glands and middle ear bones. Other special features include an Occpital bone - the bone that forms the back and the base of a skull, which encircles the spine. Mammals also have 7 vertebrae in their neck. Paleontologists and molecular biologists have differing opinions on mammal lineage. Both professions have created separate evolutionary trees, derived from the close study of mammalian fossils, according to their respective disciplines. Consolidating these two trees and finding common ground between both of their underlying theories is a herculean task that requires more knowledge. B: Elephants are the largest of all terrestrial mammals. Today, they only exist in the wild in Asia and Africa, but, in the past, every continent had its own unique species of elephants that evolved from a common ancestor.&nbsp; Pygmy elephants, Deinotheriums, Platybelodons,&nbsp;Stegodons, and mammoths, all had distinct tusk formations that were used for various purposes in their quest for survival.

The Age of Mammals

哺乳類稱霸的新生代

D: Take a look up there! Dolphin and whale skeletons are hanging overhead. It feels like we' re swimming under the ocean! B: Dolphins, whales, sea lions and seals are all mammals, not fish. The earliest ancestor of the whale appeared around 50 million years ago during the Eocene Era. These pre-historic mammals gave up their lives on land, and returned to the sea. Over time, their nasal passages moved to the top of their head, so they could breach the surface of the ocean and breathe more easily. That' s why whales and dolphins today have blowholes. B: Aquatic mammals evolved to have bodies that help them swim through the water better, similar to a fish. The primary difference between whales and dolphins is mostly found in body size and shape. Whales are typically larger than 4.5 meters, while dolphins are smaller than that threshold.

Cetacea

鯨豚的天空

Since the Cambrian period, there have been five global mass extinctions. The drastic changes in the global environment within a short period made it impossible for the organisms at that time to adapt, leading to their successive deaths. Due to the severe destruction of ecosystems, most species went extinct, and biodiversity sharply declined. The calamity and rebirth of life have shaped the myriad landscapes of the Earth. Today, human activities have generated large amounts of greenhouse gases and pollution, causing abnormal climate changes that have altered the ecology of polar regions, putting polar bears at risk of extinction. In Taiwan, many species also face survival challenges due to human development or consumption behaviors. Is the Earth experiencing its sixth mass extinction? Scientists are actively seeking answers. In this exhibition, we unveil the mysteries of Earth's history and the evolution of life through a rich collection of fossils. Ultimately, we hope to reflect together on the impact of humanity on the ecological environment and the relationship between humans and nature.

The extinction and rebirth of the Earth

地球的滅絕與重生

The exterior of the National Taiwan Museum’s Land Bank Exhibition Hall features 13 round columns and 4 wide columns along the southern and western facing sides. The first floor sidewalk is covered by a 10 meter high overhang. The exterior surface of the building’s walls and columns were finished with a construction method that utilizes prefabricated washed pebble panels. First, builders cast a large number of washed pebble panels, which were then hung from the concrete walls. The panels had holes in specific positions, which were then held in place by iron wires pre-embedded in the wall face. The joints were then filled with a washed pebble mixture of the same composition. This method is economical, fast, easy, and results in consistent quality. &nbsp;The windowsills are the building’s only use of granite, which was sourced from Tokuyama-shi in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture.The exterior features lions and geometric heads all fashioned from washed pebble panels. The windows under the first floor overhang feature copper encased decorative plaster panels, square panels adorned with eagles and octagonal panels with the phoenix. The overhang ceiling is decorated with four-sided structures that are similar to zhaojing, also known as spider web ceilings, and at the center is a washed pebble flower design. Not only decorative, these are also vents that lead to the large steel trusses hidden above. By enabling hot and humid air to escape, the vents help prevent the steel trusses from rusting. During the restoration of the Land Bank Exhibition Hall in 2005, the original trusses used in the 1933 construction were found to be in remarkably good condition. &nbsp;The sidewalk under the overhang features a piece of public art called “Flourishing Affluence”, which represents the Land Bank Exhibition Hall’s new mission as a branch of the Natural History Museum. The piece incorporates Taiwan’s rich biological and cultural diversity, while also paying homage to the building’s history as a bank. Mr. Yang-Huei Chiang and his team at ili workshop designed and produced the sidewalk art.

Exterior

建築外觀

A row of vertical sash windows sit in front of the Land Bank Exhibition Hall service counter. Public buildings constructed during the Japanese colonial period primarily utilized wood-framed sash windows. The Nippon Kangyo Bank’s Taipei Branch, the predecessor to the Land Bank Exhibition Hall, instead used iron-framed vertical sash windows with textured glass panes embedded with hexagonal wire mesh. These rare features served as theft and fire prevention. Original blueprints for the Bank’s Tainan Branch, still home to the local Land Bank of Taiwan, also specified iron-framed vertical sash windows, but they are lost to history, making the unique windows you see here even more significant. Atop the windows are rectangular metal mesh vents, while rectangular return air vents are located on the floor in front of the public seating area. Original to the initial 1933 construction, these features show that the Nippon Kangyo Bank building was designed from the outset to have central air conditioning. The embedded intake and output vents ensure adequate and energy-efficient cooling of the main hall. Looking above the windows, you can see decorative plaster panels that adorn the walls of the main hall. The panels were pre-cast in a factory, then assembled and hung on site using what is known as the dry construction method. Walk along the exhibition and experience the expansive high-ceilinged main hall and the restored plaster decorative accents. Areas in white are repairs, while the yellowed areas are original to the 1933 construction.

Windows in the Counter Area + Wall Vents and Floor Air Intake Vents + Plaster Decorations

服務臺區的窗戶、牆上的出風口與地上的迴風口、石膏飾板

The entrance to the Bank’s Taipei Branch bank vault is protected by a thick security door commissioned from the Kunisuye Safe Company of Tokyo, Japan. The outside of the vault is encased in a steel reinforced concrete wall and features two stories within. The internal floor, walls, and ceiling are covered in steel plates, while the cabinets are made of iron. Movable iron ladders enabled employees to more easily access high cabinets. To prevent moisture from damaging documents and other paper materials, the inner wall of the second floor features small steel plate doors and electric fans (The fans can only be viewed from the second floor of the Museum Shop). Portions of the second floor floorboard are raised, and the sides of the raised areas are enclosed in perforated steel plates. After the first floor vault door is opened, the small steel plate doors on the second floor can be opened, which using mechanical ventilation, force the indoor air out.

Bank vault

金庫

Outside of the vault is the Story of the Land Bank of Taiwan exhibit. From there, walk towards the outdoor elevator and you can see a display of artifacts and a wooden coat rack. This space looks to be simply a hallway that leads to the elevator and first floor women’s restroom, but look carefully at the floor tiles. They are different from surrounding tiles and there are even the vestiges of a wall. The Nippon Kangyo Bank Taipei Branch manager office once stood in this spot. &nbsp;In old photos from the Japanese colonial period, the branch manager’s office is visible next to the main hall, exactly where you are now standing. During the transformation to Land Bank of Taiwan Taipei Headquarters, additional office space was added to the main hall and the branch manager’s office windows were covered over. The office was only discovered after the design of the exhibit space for the new museum was nearly completed. A paleontology exhibit had already been installed on the wall in the main hall, so the office windows could not be uncovered at that point. Unfortunately, visitors cannot experience the view seen by the branch manager as he looked out on the clerks working in the bank’s main hall. Instead, a digitally printed image of the original Kangyo Bank main hall now hangs on the wall behind the windows so visitors can imagine how the office once looked. Originally located in his office, the wooden coat rack had faithfully held the branch manager's coat and hat. During the Land Bank of Taiwan era it was moved around many times and finally made its home in the women’s restroom for use by female employees. &nbsp;Old design drawings of the Nippon Kangyo Bank interior furnishings showed the location of the coat rack in the branch manager’s office, so it was moved back into its original position. From 1931 to 1933, the Nippon Kangyo Bank’s construction and maintenance division not only designed and supervised construction of the Taipei branch, it also designed the furnishings for inside the building. On the left wall on the way to the elevator, an old gas meter and fire hose valve were preserved in their original locations. The fire hose valve is marked with ST trademark and patent number 103483. The gas meter, installed in November 1942, is a practical reminder of the history of this building. The Taiwan Gas Company was established in 1911. In the early days, gas was used for lighting, then gradually for kitchens and bathroom use. The building was completed in 1933 and the natural gas equipment was located in front of a breakroom and directly below the kitchen upstairs. The peeling paint at the wall’s corner was also left unrestored to show how many times the walls had been painted since the building was completed in 1933. The answer is, at least seven times.

Branch Manager Office + Clothes Hooks + Peeling Paint

支店長室、衣帽架

On the left wall before the stairs on the first floor, there are preserved historical sites of the "gas meter" and "fire hydrant." By the time the Chuan Ye Bank Taipei Branch was built, gas equipment had already matured, and Taipei City had gas pipelines supplying stores and residences. This gas meter was installed in 1942 (Showa 17) near the coffee and tea room and restroom. The gas meter is marked with "one flow rate 22.7 cubic meters." The gas meter remains intact on-site, serving as a testament to the history of building equipment. This fire hydrant was installed when the Chuan Ye Bank Taipei Branch was completed in 1933. The metal cover above the hydrant is a hook for the fire hose, and below it is the fully preserved fire hydrant head. The fire hydrant head bears the ST registered trademark and patent number PAT.103483. The "paint peeling" at the corner of this wall is preserved on-site, witnessing the Chuan Ye Bank Taipei Branch's building from its completion and opening in 1933 to the present, with the wall having been repainted a total of seven times.

Gas meter, fire hydrant, wall peeling paint

瓦斯計量器、消防柱頭、牆面剝漆

During its life as the Taipei Branch of Nippon Kangyo Bank, today' s Museum Shop space on the first and second floors had originally served as the air conditioning machine room. The air conditioning equipment was manufactured by the Ebara Corporation. The cooling unit located on the first floor served the main hall, while the unit on the second floor cooled the rest of the building. The air conditioning units you see today from the first and second floors of the Museum Shop are not original to the Nippon Kangyo Bank period, but are reciprocating chillers that date from the building' s service as Land Bank headquarters. The building standing today was the second home of Nippon Kangyo Bank' s Taipei Branch. Constructed from 1931 to 1933, central air ducts were strategically buried in the floor of the main hall. This decision kept the main hall ceiling free of large air ducts and ensured that the interior design and air conditioning equipment could be&nbsp;integrated effectively. At the time, these were pioneering decisions, and even today such considerations are integral parts of architectural design. In the second floor of the Museum Shop, you can see the electric fans in the wall that ventilate the vault.

Museum Shop (2nd Floor)

空調主機及設備

The second floor Land Bank exhibit space served as offices during the Kangyo era. Today it houses an exhibit exploring the bank’s interesting history. The exhibition is divided into the following sections: Origins of the Land Bank of Taiwan, History of Financial Institutions, The Taiwan Development Company in the 1930’s, The Birth of the Land Bank in Post-War Taiwan, Developing Alongside the Nation, and A Look at the Future.The exhibit includes many rare objects such as bank books, loan markers, clerk handbooks, land surveying equipment, historical records of land reform, handbooks on the sale of public lands, and sweet potato discount cash coupons. In addition to better understanding the changes that occurred as the Kangyo Bank evolved into the Land Bank of Taiwan, these historical artifacts give us a peek into the trajectory of Taiwan’s modern financial development, land reform, national development, and economic growth.

Second Floor History of the Land Bank Exhibit

土地銀行行史室

Former office space houses the third floor Restoration of Land Bank Exhibition Hall exhibit. After the building became part of the National Taiwan Museum, the space was transformed into a home for exhibits regarding the restoration of this historical building. Here you can see replicas of the walls of the Nippon Kangyo Bank Taipei Branch. Walls were produced primarily of wood lath, but as fire was a major concern, this was also combined with the metal lath construction method. Wood lath walls are made up of horizontal wood strips nailed to the wall joists, which are then covered with plaster. The plaster is applied from one side and flows to the other from the spaces between the wood strips to ensure proper grip. Hemp fiber is then added to the 2 to 3 centimeter thick plaster. However, hemp produced in Taiwan is of the short fiber variety. Following consultation with the construction team, restorers decided to use iron chicken wire in place of hemp. Metal lath walls are built upon a base of perforated metal plates in a similar process to wood lath, with plaster applied to the surface that adheres due to the perforations. Decorative flourishes used in the Nippon Kangyo Bank’s Taipei Branch interior were primarily achieved using plaster panels. Plaster panels were first made elsewhere, after first producing a mold. Plaster was cast in the mold, and the resulting panel was cleaned up after unmolding, then hung on the wall or ceiling with copper wire. The panels were then fixed in place to the building structure with an adhesive layer, adhesive blocks and steel mesh. In order to restore these decorative elements, first the condition of the existing plaster was investigated, paint removed, then research was done into potential restoration techniques. Restorers produced new molds, evaluated damages, and issued a restoration report. Then new castings were made, repairs were completed on the existing plaster, or new pieces were integrated into the design and hung back on the walls.

Third Floor Restoration (wood lath walls, metal lath walls, plaster panels)

3樓古蹟修復室（鋼筋混凝土牆磚塊、石膏飾版）

In the second room of the restoration exhibit, take a look at the piece of concrete originally part of the first floor air conditioning machine room wall. During the restoration process, surveyors found an area with markings and theorize that during the original construction a masonry worker used charcoal to mark the measurements on the wall.Precast washed pebble panels: On display is a piece of precast washed pebble facade from the original building exterior. Look up close at the unique precast washed pebble panels that were hung on the exterior of the Nippon Kangyo Bank Taipei Branch. First, workers cast large quantities of washed pebble panels, which were then hung on the concrete walls of the building’s exterior. The panels had holes in specific positions, which were then held in place by iron wires pre-embedded in the wall face. The joints between panels were filled in with mixture of washed pebbles for a seamless appearance. Iron-framed vertical sash windows: During the Japanese colonial period, most public buildings utilized wood framed sash windows, but the Nippon Kangyo Bank’s windows were fashioned of iron, making them theft and fire resistant. The windows slide easily, but will also stay fixed in any position despite the pull of gravity on their heavy iron sashes. Here in the exhibit, there is a vertical sash window that no longer works properly. Take a closer look to understand its unique mechanics. The windows can open and close smoothly but can also be opened and fixed stably at any height. This is made possible by the pulley, wire, and weights hidden in the window frame and attached to the window sash. The pulley system stabilizes the weight of the window, which is the same principle at work in elevators. When you take the transparent outdoor elevator at the Land Bank Exhibition Hall, look carefully at its inner workings, and how the elevator car, weights, pulley, and steel cables work together to transport passengers.

Third Floor Restoration of Land Bank Exhibition Hall Room 2 (concrete wall piece, window operation)

3樓古蹟修復室（木摺壁、金網下地、窗戶功能）

The exterior walls, columns, and column walls of the Paleontology Museum are constructed using a precast hanging pebble wash technique. This is a convenient and economical method for finishing building surfaces. During construction, a mixture of cement paste and stone particles is applied to the wall surface, and after it dries slightly, water is used to wash the surface, revealing the stone particles and giving it a texture similar to that of stone. In the exhibition hall, there is a precast pebble wash panel that was originally part of the building's exterior, which serves to explain to the public that the exterior wall of the Bank of Taiwan's Taipei branch uses a special precast hanging method, similar to the "molded pebble wash" technique. A large number of precast pebble wash panels must be made in advance and then hung on the concrete wall. Fixed holes are reserved on the pebble wash panels, which are tightly secured using iron wires embedded in the wall. The gaps between the pebble wash panels are filled with the same material paste. This method can be considered a pioneer of its time, offering the benefits of speed, economy, and uniform quality.However, after decades of exposure to the external environment, the exterior walls have shown many signs of wear, necessitating repairs and replicas, as well as the use of moisture-proof agents and protective agents to reduce the likelihood of further damage to the exterior walls.

3rd Floor Historic Site Restoration Room (Washed Stone Board)

3樓古蹟修復室（洗石子板）

The vault has one of the most important jobs in any bank, storing and protecting cash, precious metals, and important documents. This vault was built by the Kunisuye Safe Company of Tokyo, Japan. The entrance features a thick, imposing steel door. Inside the vault, there are two stories and the internal floor, stairs, and walls are made of steel plates, which are actually hollow and formed without the need for any welded edges. These allow for thinner metal plates and enable more efficient use of the vault’s limited space. &nbsp;The vault’s cabinets are also made of metal and feature wooden doors. The rail running along the cabinets was for a moveable ladder that provided employees easy access the upper cabinets. Because the vault is an enclosed space, part of the second floor floorboard is raised and enclosed in perforated steel plates that allow for internal ventilation.

The story of the vault.

金庫的故事

​Traditional financial activities in Qing Dynasty Taiwan revolved around the landlord-tenant system and commercial trade development. Financial institutions primarily offered high-interest loans between landholders and merchants to maintain land revenue and facilitate smooth business transactions. Hard currency, in addition to being used for purchases and doing business, was at the time the stablest and safest way to store wealth, but people’s choices for storing their currency were limited. One could purchase property with the money or literally store it in earthenware pots within the home or even buried in the ground. The two former options created “dead capital”, savings that would not earn interest. During the late Qing Dynasty, opening Taiwan’s ports led to an influx of foreign capital and with it came currency exchange and discounting prevalent in international commercial trade. Because of the tea trade in northern Taiwan, trade and financial institutions such as the Merchant House and Exchange House cropped up in Taipei.

Finance in Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty

清代臺灣之金融

In the spring of 1920, the post-World War I “economic panic” began in Japan and the Bank of Taiwan was not spared. In order to reduce risk, the bank focused lending on real estate mortgages, but their longer periods of recovery caused operational difficulties. To relieve some pressure, the Bank of Taiwan transferred 20 million yuan in real estate debts to the Nippon Kangyo Bank. This established a connection between the Japanese bank and Taiwan, which ultimately let Nippon Kangyo Bank to set up operations on the island. Beginning in 1923, the Nippon Kangyo Bank opened branches in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan, and Hsinchu where it began operating direct lending business in Taiwan. Nippon Kangyo Bank borrowers were primarily government irrigation and drainage projects and other public bodies, such as agricultural groups. The purpose of loans were to construct agricultural storehouses, provide financing prior to the harvest (to prevent merchants from exploiting farmers), fund canal projects in important urban areas, and finance public school architecture.

Establishment of the Japan Industrial Bank's branch in Taiwan

日本勸業銀行在臺支店的設立

From 1860 to 1863, under the terms of the Treaty of Tianjin, Taiwan officially opened the ports of Jilong, Huwei, Anping, and Dagou to foreign trade. By the end of 1866, the Tamsui port in northern Taiwan in actuality extended to the streets of Mongga and Dadaocheng. Taipei city was established in 1884 during the late Qing Dynasty, and began playing a key role in the politics, culture, economy, and society of the entire island of Taiwan. &nbsp;Old town Taipei is the area originally enclosed by the city walls. In 1911, the Japanese tore down the walls completely and turned them into four roads, which are today’s Zhongxiao West Road, Zhonghua Road, Aiguo West Road, and Zhongshan South Road. Only 28 years had passed between construction of the walls and their destruction. Not one of the temples, academies, schools, or government offices built by the Qing were spared, all were demolished. Modern buildings gradually appeared to replace those that had been lost. During the Japanese Colonial period, Taiwanese financial institutions began springing up within old town Taipei, approximately located around the modern Hengyang Road, Guanqian Road and Chongqing South Road areas. Today’s Bank of Taiwan, Land Bank of Taiwan, Hua Nan Bank, First Bank, and Taiwan Cooperative Bank can all trace their origins back to financial institutions established during this period. After the war, the headquarters of many banks were established here, and even today many financial institutions are located in the city’s old town area. There are also many financial buildings that date to the Japanese occupation that have borne witness to the history of modern financial development in Taiwan over the past 100 years.

The old city area of Taipei, where financial headquarters are clustered.

金融總部林立的臺北舊城區

​The branch manager’s office faced the main hall and vault making it easy to keep an eye on everything happening within the bank.

Branch Manager's Office

支店長室

The idea of establishing a land bank in Taiwan dates back to 1935. Land reform expert Xiao Zheng recommended that Governor-General of Taiwan Province Chen Yi set up a land bank to serve as the source of funds for land policy implementation. The Ministry of Finance allocated 60 million yuan to set up branches in the locations that had been operating as Nippon Kangyo Bank since 1923, Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. On September 1, 1946, the Land Bank of Taiwan was officially established. The first logo of the Land Bank of Taiwan was a round emblem with black background and gold Chinese characters. The bank’s second logo used the LB from its English name, while maintaining the black background and gold lettering from the first incarnation to create a simple, elegant emblem. The current Land Bank logo was first registered in 1990 and cleverly combines the Chinese character for “land” with the English letter L, to represent the bank using both languages. The grass green color of the logo symbolizes health and energy, while also representing the bank’s specialization in credit for real estate and agriculture, literal grassroots endeavors.

The Birth of the Taiwan Land Bank

臺灣土地銀行的誕生

After World War II, Taiwan embarked on a process of land reform, nation building, and economic development. At every stage, the Land Bank of Taiwan was a key driver in national land policy and economic development. In 1953, the government launched a “land to the tiller” policy and appointed the Land Bank to process land compensation and expropriation claims. Over a 10 year period, Land Bank business units and staff consistently built annual volume. With this opportunity, the Land Bank of Taiwan gradually grew into one of the island’s largest banks and laid the foundation for future development. Starting in the 1950s, the Land Bank of Taiwan began offering loans for agricultural construction and mechanization, and financing for small and medium-sized agricultural processing plants and farms. Not only did this lead to increased production quality in agricultural products and improved standards of living, the value of Taiwan’s agriculture sector also skyrocketed. In 1956, the government promoted equalization of urban land rights and began issuing urban land rights bonds in order to facilitate purchasing land at the assessed value. In addition, in 1980 the government began issuing land finance bonds to invigorate the bond market. Drawing on the bank’s legacy of collaboration with the government, Land Bank also innovated to assist in the bond issuance. At the same time, the Land Bank oversaw the development of nationally-owned lands at 11 sites, including Chu Lu Ranch, Chihshang Silkworm Leisure Farm, Dulan Forest Farm, Hegang Farm and Tea Processing, into famous destinations.

The driving force behind national land policy and economic development.

國家土地政策與經濟發展的推手

The Land Bank of Taiwan is a key pillar in the nation’s economy, while the bank in turn could not exist without its employees. The bank offers comprehensive support for all employees to ensure that they not only have stable employment, but also have ample opportunity to strengthen their professional capabilities and in turn increase the bank’s overall competitiveness. From first receiving a job offer with a monthly salary of 70 yuan as a probationary employee, to doing calisthenics in between training exercises, Land Bank employees have a set of shared memories. In the employee training center, the bedding was decorated with the Land Bank logo as was the keychain holding the dormitory keys. Drawing on the accumulated memories of their own training and time-worn diagrams describing office rules, new team members learned from veterans about bank etiquette and their own responsibilities. All the while, the office's financial tools changed around them. The abacus evolved into hand-cranked mechanical computers then electronic calculators and finally modern computers, which are all part of the history of the Land Bank.

The local bank of life

生活的土銀

As a state-owned enterprise, the Land Bank of Taiwan worked in coordination with the government to implement land policy. Land Bank is the financial institution closest to the land and the hearts of the Taiwanese people. The bank is duty bound to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. When disaster strikes, Land Bank immediately provides various types of disaster relief loans to ensure that vulnerable groups and those in urgent need can receive timely financial assistance. &nbsp;&nbsp;The Land Bank of Taiwan works to promote the arts and sport. In recent years, Land Bank team members have comprised the backbone of our national teams at the Olympics, Asian Games, Universiade, and other international sporting events and made our nation proud. In 2005, the Council for Cultural Affairs launched the Taiwan Museum Systems Project, which tasked the National Taiwan Museum with restoring historical monuments. With the support of the Executive Yuan and the Council for Cultural Affairs, the project became the first cross-departmental historical restoration initiative. &nbsp;As part of the Bank’s international expansion, the Land Bank of Taiwan began opening branches overseas. The Land Bank is a key promoter of the country’s economy and land policies and we maintain our leading position in the land and construction financing business, while also diversifying into wealth management and trusts. Our focus is on transformation and innovation to achieve the goal of becoming an outstanding comprehensive financial institution.

Galloping around the world, a new era.

馳騁全球・嶄新紀元

交通資訊

好物認真看

簡介

常設展

友善服務

放心看好物

土銀行史館建築土銀展示館在第二次世界大戰後作為土地銀行總行使用，前身為日治時期在臺設立的「日本勸業銀行臺北支店」，竣工於1933年。建築為三層樓的鋼骨鋼筋混凝土造建築物，建築外觀以13根石刻槽圓形巨柱緊密排列及寬厚的壁柱與岩牆，呈現宏偉沉穩的安全感，展現銀行建築穩重風格。外觀細部使用獸頭柱飾、牆體、簷口及女兒牆均有濃厚的異國洋風裝飾紋樣，室內設計天花板則又融入裝飾藝術運動的幾何設計，呈現多元趣味。

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備註

​土銀展示館は第二次世界大戦後、土地銀行本店として使われていました。前身は日本統治時代の1933年に開設された「日本勧業銀行台北支店」です。鉄筋コンクリート製の3階建てで、建物の周囲は彫刻で装飾された13本の巨大な円柱と分厚い壁柱が緊密に並び、堂々とした安定感のある、銀行らしい重厚な風格が漂っています。建物外部には、柱の獣頭や壁面と屋根の装飾など、異国情緒溢れる西洋風の模様が見られます。室内の天井にもデコラティブアートを取り入れた幾何学的なデザインが見られ、多元的な趣があります。

土銀行史館の建物

토은행 전시관은 제2차 세계 대전 후 토지은행 본점으로 사용되었으며, 그 전신은 일본 통치 시대에 대만에 설립된 "일본 권업은행 타이베이 지점"으로 1933년에 완공되었습니다. 건물은 3층 규모의 강철 골조와 철근 콘크리트 구조로 되어 있으며, 외관은 13개의 석조 원형 기둥이 촘촘히 배열되어 있고, 두껍고 넓은 벽 기둥과 벽체가 조화를 이루어 웅장하고 안정감 있는 느낌을 주며, 은행 건축의 중후한 스타일을 보여줍니다. 외관의 세부 사항에는 짐승 머리 기둥 장식, 벽체, 처마 및 딸린 벽에 이국적인 장식 문양이 풍부하게 사용되었고, 실내 디자인의 천장에는 장식 예술 운동의 기하학적 디자인이 통합되어 다채로운 매력을 나타냅니다.

토지은행 역사관 건축

土銀展示館佇第二次世界大戰後，做為土地銀行總行使用，伊个前身係日治時期佇臺灣設立个「日本勸業銀行臺北支店」，佇1933年建成。建築係三層樓个鋼骨鋼筋混凝土構造。建築外觀以13根石刻槽个圓形巨柱緊緊排列，配合寬厚个壁柱佮牆體，呈現出宏偉、沉穩、具安全感个外觀格局，展現銀行建築稳重个風格。外觀细節上，使用有獸頭柱飾，牆體、簷口佮女兒牆攏有濃厚个異國洋風装飾紋樣；室內設計个天花板，則融合裝飾藝術運動个幾何設計，呈現出多樣佮有趣个美學風貌。

Museum Bank Tanah digunakan sebagai kantor pusat Bank Tanah setelah Perang Dunia Kedua, yang merupakan bekas "Kantor Cabang Bank Promosi Jepang Taipei" yang didirikan pada masa penjajahan Jepang, selesai dibangun pada tahun 1933. Bangunan ini adalah bangunan beton bertulang tiga lantai dengan struktur baja, tampak luar bangunan ini menampilkan 13 tiang raksasa berbentuk bulat yang diukir dengan rapat serta kolom dan dinding yang lebar, memberikan kesan megah dan stabil yang menciptakan rasa aman, menunjukkan gaya bangunan bank yang kokoh. Detail tampilan luar menggunakan hiasan tiang kepala binatang, dinding, atap, dan dinding anak yang memiliki pola dekorasi bergaya asing yang kental, sementara desain interior langit-langit menggabungkan desain geometris dari gerakan seni dekoratif, menciptakan variasi yang menarik.

Catatan

Bangunan Museum Sejarah Bank Tanah

Bảo tàng Ngân hàng Đất đai được sử dụng làm trụ sở chính của Ngân hàng Đất đai sau Thế chiến thứ hai, có tiền thân là "Chi nhánh Ngân hàng Khuyến công Nhật Bản tại Đài Bắc" được thành lập trong thời kỳ Nhật Bản cai trị, hoàn thành vào năm 1933. Tòa nhà là một công trình ba tầng bằng bê tông cốt thép, với vẻ ngoài được tạo nên từ 13 cột tròn khắc đá được sắp xếp chặt chẽ cùng với các cột tường dày và tường, tạo ra cảm giác an toàn vững chãi và thể hiện phong cách kiến trúc ngân hàng trang trọng. Các chi tiết bên ngoài sử dụng trang trí đầu thú, tường, mái hiên và tường con đều có hoa văn trang trí mang đậm phong cách phương Tây, trong khi thiết kế trần nhà bên trong lại kết hợp các hình khối của phong trào nghệ thuật trang trí, thể hiện sự đa dạng và thú vị.