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Taipei: two rooms where free speech was fought for

Two metro stops, two rooms, one silence

Your planning day: Not on Sun, Nov 1: Nylon Cheng Foundation and Memorial Museum closed; booking slots still need confirming.

A residential and office block in a lane off Minquan East Road, its upper floor carrying the Nylon Cheng Foundation and memorial museum signs.

Photograph by MiNe, 2009. CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Openly licensedCC BY 2.0View source ↗

Why this order

This route puts free speech back at two street addresses: a Japanese-era police station and an editorial office preserved after the 1989 fire. Together they show how the state restricted political thought, and how people fought back.

  1. Stop 1

    Taiwan New Cultural Movement Memorial Museum

    Start in the colonial police station, where you can see how order was built before you see what it cost. Free, and open early.

    Right now:Tuesday–Sunday 09:30–17:30; closed Monday; free admission

    Walk from Daqiaotou, Minquan West Road, or Shuanglian MRT

  2. Stop 2

    Nylon Cheng Foundation and Memorial Museum

    Then the third floor on Minquan East Road, where the office was left as it was. Saturdays only, and you must reserve.

    Right now:Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Free admission; reserve online before visiting

    Zhongshan Junior High School MRT, then a third-floor walk-up

  3. Stop 3

    Huashan 1914

    If you want another stop and something to eat, finish at Huashan's public squares, shops and current events. Check the park's programme for the day you choose.

    Right now:Outdoor public spaces open 24 hours; shops and indoor events keep their own hours.

    About a 10-minute walk from Shandao Temple MRT