Chinese Name: 鶯歌陶瓷博物館
Address: No. 200, Wenhua Road., Yingge District, New Taipei City
Established: 2000
Official Website: https://www.ceramics.ntpc.gov.tw/
Did You Know That…?
The Yingge Ceramics Museum of New Taipei City is the first museum in Taiwan devoted to ceramic art. The museum was honored as the organizer of the 2018 International Academy of Ceramics Congress, spreading the beauty of Taiwanese ceramics to global ceramics lovers and the international community.
The Yingge Ceramics Museum is located in the Yingge District (鶯歌區) of New Taipei City. The plan to establish the Yingge Ceramics Museum was proposed in 1998. Officially opened for public visiting on Nov. 26, 2000, it is the first museum that highlights ceramics crafts and products in Taiwan. The museum is dedicated to collecting, presenting, and researching Taiwan’s ceramic art, craft, and design, as well as providing services such as holding exhibitions for education and promotion. Through organizing various events and activities including workshops and seminars, the museum aims to spark the public’s interest and excitement toward ceramics art, while also elevating the Yingge area’s status by promoting its ceramics industry, along with fostering international exchanges of contemporary ceramic creations.
The museum building, designed by Chien Architects & Associates (竹間聯合建築師事務所), consists of five levels, of which three are above ground and two are underground. Made with fair-faced concrete, structural steel, and transparent glass, the building allows natural light to pour in and present a rich texture and appearance of the ceramic exhibits with the change of sunlight.
Currently, the museum collected over three thousand pieces, serving as the epitome of Taiwan’s colorful ceramic works. The collection covers Taiwan’s early folk ceramics, domestic and foreign modern ceramics, ceramics from the Yingge area, and other related documents and monuments, presenting the rich history of ceramics creation in the country from the early days to the contemporary. The museum also developed a digital collection system, presenting representative works through various digitization technologies such as high-resolution restoration, 360-degree surround image production, and 720-degree image modeling.
The museum’s permanent exhibition focuses on the development of the ceramics industry in Taiwan. It is separated into five themes: “Traditional Pottery Techniques Hall (走向從前—臺灣傳統製陶技術),” “Once We Were (回看所來處－臺灣陶瓷發展),” “Pottery Town (硘仔鎮－鶯歌陶瓷發展),” “A Time Travel to the Past (穿越時空之旅－史前、原住民陶),” and “Future Predictions (未來預言－工業與精密陶瓷).” The museum presents a broad spectrum of information including ceramic-making techniques, Taiwan’s history of ceramics, and the Yingge ceramic industry’s evolution.
On the other hand, several spaces are designed in the museum to hold special exhibitions, such as the Sunlight Gallery, the Citizen Ceramic Platform, the Ceramics Hallway, and the main Gallery on the third floor. By organizing special exhibitions regularly, the museum welcomes the public to experience the diverse ceramics culture of Taiwan. Besides, the museum also hosts a podcast program to provide the latest information to the online audience.
The Ceramics Park is at the back of the museum building, showcasing an array of different ceramics works in the natural environment. Opened in January 2008, the park was designed according to the elements of wind, water, earth, and fire, integrated with ceramic creations. The park set up an Old Kiln Area, showcasing the models of prominent kiln construction which include the Hoffmann kiln, square kiln, and dome kiln. As a family-friendly space, the park also erected a water fountain and children’s interactive facilities.
The museum organizes the New Taipei Ceramics Awards annually. It was known as the Taipei Ceramics Awards previously, inaugurated by the Cultural Affairs Department of Taipei County (now New Taipei City). It was taken over by the Yingge Ceramics Museum starting the second iteration following the museum’s commencement. In 2013, combining the Taipei Ceramics Awards and Taiwan Ceramics Gold Awards, the New Taipei Ceramics Awards was born to encourage ceramics creation and promote ceramics culture. It was organized with the spirit of creativity and enrichment, in the hope of injecting vitality into Taiwan’s ceramic art culture.
Besides that, the Yingge Ceramics Museum also hosts the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale starting in 2004. Since 2008, the Biennale has held competitions and themed exhibitions every other year, dedicated to encouraging curations that include new perspectives and explore a multifaceted presentation of ceramic creations. The Biennale also serves to be a platform that allows the international community to view and study the exquisite ceramics culture of Taiwan, fostering the interaction of the local and global ceramics artists and collectors.