The First Archaeological Museum in Northern Taiwan

The Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology was established in conjunction to the “rescue excavation” undertaken at the Shihsanhang Archaeological Site in 1990. At that time, Taiwan Provincial Government’s Department of Housing and Development planned to build a sewage treatment plant on top of the site. A group of noted archaeologists launched a campaign to rescue the artifacts at Shihsanhang, and they were able to garner a large amount of public support. As a result, the site was recognized as a second-class Historic Site, and part of the original site was ordered to be preserved. The Shihsanhang site is now a National Historic Site.

In 1992, the Executive Yuan Council ordered the Taipei County government to establish a Shihsanhang Site Exhibition Room to display the objects that were unearthed. It was renamed to "Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology" in 1998. It’s objectives were to preserve and display artifacts unearthed at the Shihsanhang Site, to serve as the archaeological museum of northern Taiwan, and to serve as an educational center to teach people about the importance of the prehistoric culture. After its official opening in 2003, the Museum has also become an ecomuseum of the Bali Left Bank area.

The Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology cost NT$380 million to build, paid for by both the federal, Taipei County and New Taipei County (since 2010) governments. Construction of the main buildings, the outdoor plaza and parking lot began in 2000, and the project was completed in 2003.