TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Bureau of Cultural Heritage (文化資產局) opened an underwater cultural heritage exhibition Wednesday (Nov. 26) at Kinmen Cultural Park History and Folk Museum (金門歷史民俗博物館), a museum in Taiwan's offshore island, featuring ancient cannons and eight legally protected shipwrecks. The "Stories of Fire and Ships" exhibition explores warfare and shipwreck history through interactive technology showcasing naval battles from Ming dynasty to World War II.
Bureau of Cultural Heritage Director Chen Chi-min (陳濟民), National Science and Technology Museum Director Li Hsiu-feng (李秀鳳), and Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Chen Jung-chang (陳榮昌) attended the opening ceremony Wednesday. The exhibition previously launched in July at the National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, before traveling to Kinmen.
Chen emphasized the connection between underwater cultural heritage and warfare in a press release, noting eight shipwrecks currently hold legal protection status. The protected vessels sank from causes ranging from reef collisions and typhoons to warfare. He highlighted Kinmen's numerous wartime relics and the exhibition's significance in this historical setting.
The Bureau revealed the exhibition features interactive projection technology showcasing Taiwan's maritime warfare history from Ming and Qing dynasties to World War II. The technology recreates battle scenes from Liao Lo Bay (料羅灣), Anping (安平), Penghu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. The exhibition remains open to the public until Jan. 25, 2026. ◼