TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Lunar New Year break is a great time to relax, but also to indulge in our sense of wonder by learning new things about our world. If you find yourself in the central Taiwanese city of Taichung during the holidays, consider stopping by the National Museum of Natural Science. The museum complex is now holding a selection of fascinating exhibitions into the worlds of conservation, culture, and technology.
For those interested in the natural world, the museum is hosting an exhibition on the coexistence between wild plants and urban landscapes in Taiwan. "Poetry of the Wild: Habitat Memories of Taiwan's Native Herbaceous Plants", held until Sept. 28, showcases the wild flowers and native herbs that may be hiding in plain sight. Another exhibition, "Right Where Lives Belong-Support Wildlife Conservation with Animal Protection", seeks to educate visitors on the importance of properly caring for pets to the protection of wild animals.
The museum is also displaying rooms on Indigenous history and culture. From now until March 22, museum goers can learn about the culture of the Tsou people and their relationship with nature at the "cou. macucuma ta hpʉhpʉngʉ — Natural History of Cou". You can also step far back in history by visiting another exhibit, "Archaeology of Fanziyuan Culture - In search of the ancestors of the Pingpu people in central Taiwan", which showcases the final prehistoric culture in Taiwan before the Metal Age.
In "Giant Unearthed — a Taiwan Whale's Tale", running until Sept. 20, exhibitors are showcasing their excavation of an enormous 18-meter whale discovered in Taiwan, and the scientific questions raised in the process. And in a unique exhibit, famous world paintings are rendered as though their subjects are in a state of drug use. In "3D Famous Artworks from the Perspective of Drug Addiction", figures in Japanese ukiyo-e prints, Mona Lisa, and other models found in the world's most famous artworks are depicted as people who use drugs, in order to raise awareness of drug addiction.