Bali Left Bank Park and Shihsanhang Museum is a paired riverside park and archaeology museum at the mouth of the Danshui River in Bali District, New Taipei City. The Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology was designed by architect Sun De-Hong and opened on April 24, 2003 — Taiwan's first city-run archaeology museum — displaying pottery, iron implements, and burial artifacts of the Shihsanhang culture from roughly 1,800 to 500 years ago. The museum adjoins the Left Bank cycling path, with views across to Guanyin Mountain.
The Shihsanhang site was traced back to a compass anomaly noticed in 1955 by Air Force Major Pan Keyong during a flight; scholars surveyed and named the site in 1957. Following a preservation campaign, it was designated a national second-grade historic monument in 1991 and registered as a National Archaeological Site on May 1, 2006. The Shihsanhang Museum, designed by architect Sun De-Hong, opened on April 24, 2003 as Taiwan's first city-run archaeology museum and won the top prize of the Taiwan Architecture Award in 2002.
What to see at the Shihsanhang Museum
The Shihsanhang site is an important prehistoric site in Taiwan, designated a National Site. Excavated artifacts include iron implements, pottery, and human bones, bearing witness to human settlement life along the northwest coast of Taiwan roughly 1,800 to 500 years ago. The museum building itself is designed with a sloped-roof volume embedded into the terrain, recognized with architectural awards. The interior circulation is planned along the concept of an archaeological field, balancing exhibition and spatial experience.
The permanent exhibition is arranged by period and cultural layer, displaying excavated pottery sherds, iron slag, and skeletal remains, explaining the ironworking technology and social structure of the Shihsanhang people. An outdoor area has a reconstructed settlement landscape for observation. The museum adjoins Bali Left Bank Park; extending about 2 kilometers north along the cycling path leads to the Bali Ferry Pier, while heading south connects to the Wazihwei Nature Reserve.
How to make the most of your visit
Practical information
Getting there and timing
- Public transport: take a bus from MRT Danshui Station to Bali Left Bank, or take the ferry to the Bali Ferry Pier and walk.
- Museum opening hours and admission prices are subject to official website announcements. The museum is usually closed on Mondays.
- The cycling path has fewer visitors on weekdays; on weekends, arrive in the morning to avoid crowded parking.
Nearby connections
- Can be combined with Danshui Fisherman's Wharf and Danshui Old Street into a cross-river day trip.
- The Wazihwei Nature Reserve is at the southwest end of Bali District. Walking or cycling is required to get there — allow an additional hour.
Source: Official information from the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology; Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, site data. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Shihsanhang Museum open?
Designed by architect Sun De-Hong, it opened on April 24, 2003, as Taiwan's first city-run archaeology museum.
How old is the Shihsanhang culture?
The Shihsanhang culture dates from roughly 1,800 to 500 years ago, part of Taiwan's prehistoric Iron Age.
How was the Shihsanhang site discovered?
In 1955, Air Force Major Pan Keyong noticed a compass anomaly while flying; scholars surveyed and confirmed the site in 1957.
Sources
- 新北市立十三行博物館 - 維基百科 — 開館日期、設計者、建築獎項
- 文化背景 - 新北市立十三行博物館 — 官方頁面，十三行文化距今1800-500年前、出土文物類別
- 十三行遺址 - 維基百科 — 發現經過、國定考古遺址登錄年份