Auditorium
The auditorium has 150 seats and regularly shows screenings of an introduction to the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology and a documentary of excavation work at the Shihsanhang Site.
Discovery Center
The Discovery Center is located on the left of first floor of the museum. The Discovery Center is approximately 139 square meters in size, was designed specifically with children and students in mind and possesses a wide range of interactive educational tools. By using these, visitors can learn more about archaeology and Taiwan’s prehistoric history. The Discovery Center and educational materials used can be divided into four main areas: Archaeological Excavation, Discovering Prehistoric Remains, Interactive Teaching, and Library and Multimedia AV. In addition, this area also has computer equipment, video films, books, and a series of educational activities, providing visitors with a wide range of choices.
In order to ensure that the Discovery Center offers a quality learning-environment, groups are required to call and pre-book any planned visit. The Discovery Center is for elementary-school age children. School and other groups are welcome to visit.
1. Archaeological Excavation:
A series of charts are used to introduce the subject of archaeology and detail how archaeologists go about excavating sites, including related measurements and preparations. A cultural layer is reproduced in the Discovery Center and teachers are able to extract potsherds or artifacts from the later to introduce the cultures of different periods: Tapenkeng, Chihsanyen, Yuanshan, etc.
2. Discovering Prehistoric Remains:
This area teachers visitors how archaeologists use the artifacts and clues they uncover to recreate how prehistoric people lived.
3. Interactive Teaching:
The most distinctive teaching resource available in the Discovery Center are the “Archaeological Boxes.” Each box has its own distinctive theme and encourages students to learn more about archaeological practices.
One example is the “specimen record sample archaeological box.” An introduction discusses how these records are made, and the box contains a reproduced “specimen” and tools used to measure length and depth. This way, visitors get to learn how to measure artifacts and can fill in a study form.
4. Library and Multimedia AV:
The most distinctive teaching resource available in the Discovery Center is the “Archaeological Box.” Each box has its own distinctive theme and encourages students to become more intimately involved in archaeological practices. For example, the “specimen record sample archaeological box” provides an introduction that discusses how these records are made and provides a reproduced specimen and other tools used to measure length and depth. In this way, visitors get to learn how to measure artifacts and can fill in their measurement results on a form.
Special Display Area:
The special exhibition on display introduced Prof. Chang-ju Shih, one of the most venerable archaeologist in Taiwan who led the first excavation at the Shihsanhang Site.