A Museum in Yonghe District, New Taipei
The Museum of World Religions in New Taipei City offers a fascinating glimpse into various world religions for kids and grown ups alike. The permanent exhibit includes a Great Hall that introduces each religion in Chinese and English and includes a few items considered sacred to that religion, along with video and audio from each religion. The descriptions are meant more for adults, but kids can still have an interesting time looking around at the pictures and video, plus nearby is a large area with miniatures of sacred buildings that are fun for little ones to investigate.
Other aspects that might appeal to kids is a wall of water on the 6th floor representing purification, a display of hand prints on the Wall of Gratitude, and a mediation room with three video screens displaying meditations, prayers, and other spiritual activities for various world religions. For an extra NT$50, visitors can go inside the Kid’s Land section of the museum. This section includes a giant rabbit kids can get inside, some video screen activities for kids (Chinese language), books, and some interesting orbs that look like planets. There wasn’t too much to do in the kid’s section, so don’t expect too much - but it’s also a nice way to either start or end a trip to the museum. Also, be prepared that the price is a little steeper than most of the local Taipei museums, as a ticket for the Permanent and Kid’s Land Exhibit comes to NT$200 for adults and NT$150 for kids, but it is a very nice and well-maintained museum!
Address: No. 236, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Hours: 10AM - 5PM, Tues - Sun (Closed Monday)
Phone: 02 8231 6118
Find out more:
Name and Address in Chinese:
名稱: 世界宗教博物館
地址: 新北市永和區中山路一段236號
Things to do with kids:
Walk through the Great Hall of World Religions and learn about global religions including Christianity, Judaism, Ancient Religions (Egypt), Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Indigenous Religions (Maya), Shinto, Taoism, and Taiwanese Folk Beliefs.
Admire the miniatures of religious monuments around the world, and use video touch screens to see what they look like inside.
Walk along the Pilgrim’s Way, and see images of pilgrim’s from different religions.
Visit the Purification Wall and watch the water continually falling against it.
Go through the Life’s Journey section, which shows videos and displays on religion during significant times like birth, coming to age, marriage, old age. (Audio is in Chinese only.)
Enjoy the mediation gallery, which provides an interesting multi-media experience.
Pass by the Wall of Gratitude, which includes hand prints.
Play in the Kid's Playland! Explore the planets, large bunny that kids can get inside, video screens and books, and a wall play area where kids can touch a digital screen displaying a nature scene.
Additional Information:
Price for a combo ticket for the Permanent Exhibition and Kid’s Land area is NT$200 for adults.
Price for a combo ticket for the Permanent Exhibition and Kid’s Land area for kids over 2 is NT$150
Kids under 2 are free.
