Pinglin District
Pinglin District, at the southeastern corner of New Taipei City, is a designated protected area located upstream of Fei-cui Reservior. The region has been home to some of the earliest tea plantations in Taiwan, a mountain settlement surrounded by forests and abundant leisure resources. Pinglin is also the main tea growing area for Wenshan Baozhong Tea, whose production and sale has become the most important economic resource in Pinglin District. More than 80% of the local residents grow tea and the total area of tea plantations is close to 1000 acres with an annual income of about 500 million NT dollars. The area of tea plantations is still increasing and tea-producing techniques are also improving, giving Pinglin a great potential for attracting both domestic and international tourists. With only a population of only 3900 (2018 census) spread across a total area of 170.83 square kilometers, it has always been an escape for mountain climbers, hikers and campers from metropolitan Taipei. With the construction of a new highway, it's only a 40-minute drive away from downtown Taipei.
The Museum
The former president Li Dung-Hui, while inspecting local construction as the provincial governor in 1983, gave special instructions to build a tea museum in Pinglin to reinforce the production and sales of Wenshan Baozhong Tea as well as to make best use of tourism resources in the area. The transfer of ownership of the Museum to New Taipei City in 2014 and renovation completed 2015 modernizes museum services and helps drive its international appeal.
Core Mission
As the premier government-run tea museum in Taiwan, and perhaps southeast Asia, we position ourselves as the first stop in Taiwan for lovers of tea.
- Cultural exchange: provide educational and leisure activities related to tea art, relating tea culture to international tastes.
- Educational experiences: provide immersive learning enviroment for tea art, drawing upon several thousand years of accumulated knowledge and worldwide appeal of the second most popular beverage.
- Local tea economy: the Pinglin Tea Museum of New Taipei City helps people better understand tea industry, culture, and drinking to involve local tea growers in addressing internation markets and boost local economy.
- Leisure function: Pinglin serves as a rest stop between Yilan and Taipei, via the Beiyi Expressway and the Beiyi Highway, in addition to being destination for tourists and campers visiting the Feicui Reservior and the Beishi River.
People
(profiles coming soon)
Exhibition Hall A and B
There are 2 main exhibition halls with 10 month rotation cycles. Please see the exhibitions section for current programming.
Experience Center
The Experience Center is and activities-based hall where young and old can appreciate tea through the senses and interactive installations.
Museum Shop
The museum shop offers our latest selection of representative tea and merchandise from Taiwan.
Tea Room
Offers a bamboo floored classroom to experience tea ceremonies (select dates only)
The Villa
(stay tuned for announcement)
Ecological Trail
Though not maintained by the museum, the bordering hiking trail is a mild exercise with many rewards. Observe rare indigenous insects and cultivated plant life along this well equipped route, and enjoy the vista at the top. Do watch out for venomous snakes.
