After years of planning, New Taipei City’s first public art museum, the New Taipei City Art Museum, opened at the end of April. Built as a public institution, NTCAM aims to be more than a landmark: it seeks active engagement with residents, international visitors, artists and the broader Taiwanese community through dialogue and collaborative projects.
NTCAM is located in the Yingge District, Taiwan’s pottery center, about a 30-minute drive from Taipei City.
Sited where the Yingge River meets the Dahan River on the Sanying Reclaimed Land, the museum is a major cultural initiative by the New Taipei City Government to support local development and urban renewal. From a short distance away, the building seems to rise from the riverbed, its exterior clad with silver tubes of varying lengths. Designed by Kris Yao | Artech, the museum catches the light and invites visitors to cross a narrow footbridge that links the town to its entrance.
© Courtesy of New Taipei City Art Museum / Hideaki Hamada
As a driver of cultural innovation, NTCAM blends art, landscape design, lifestyle aesthetics, cultural tourism and technology to encourage cultural growth and economic vitality. As New Taipei City’s first contemporary art museum, it serves local residents and hosts a diverse program of exhibitions and events.
The museum rethinks what an art institution can be by emphasizing public access and lifelong learning. It prioritizes emerging talent and arts education, with programs for all ages, family-focused spaces and hands-on activities. Artist residencies and interactive initiatives allow visitors to connect directly with creative practice and cultural exchange.
“We want to be a responsive institution that listens to our community,” said Lai Hsiang-ling, the museum director. “By taking an inclusive approach and encouraging dialogue across different groups, we aim to make a meaningful social impact.”
© Courtesy of New Taipei City Art Museum / Hideaki Hamada
To mark its opening, NTCAM launched four major exhibitions that reflect the museum’s vision and values. NTCAM Collection: Encounters in Reflection highlights New Taipei City’s artistic heritage. Reimagining Radical Cities is an international exhibition that connects local and global art perspectives. The Ongoing Nature invites visitor participation and collaborative art-making. The museum’s Annual Commission program presents a site-specific project, Xindian Boys: Don’t Worry, Baby, while additional works appear throughout the lobby and corridors.
Director Lai Hsiang-ling brings more than three decades of experience in art history and museology, along with a long-standing commitment to experimental programming, public engagement and international exchange in contemporary art. Her curatorial work, developed at major institutions, continues to influence critical discourse and support transformative cultural initiatives in the region.