The construction of the building started in 1911 and completed in 1913 during the Japanese rule of Taiwan.[2][3] It was initially built as Hokutō Public Bathhouse, the largest bathhouse in East Asia at that time.[4]
After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945, the facility underwent several transformations, from police station, Kuomintang headquarter, to a reception house for local county administration called the Zhongshan House. However, the building was eventually closed and abandoned due to the corrosion caused by the hot springs and lack of proper maintenance. The building was declared a class 3 historical site by the Ministry of the Interior in February 1995. In March 1998, an overall makeover was initiated and completed with the official opening on 31 October 1998 as Beitou Hot Spring Museum.[5]
Architecture
The museum is a Victorian-style building which was built with red bricks and wooden weatherboards.
The museum is divided into two stories. The first floor houses the public bath which is no longer in use along with the introduction of hot springs history, hot spring facilities, appliances used in hot springs, Beitou stones, and the bathing space. The second floor houses six different exhibition areas, including Beitou history, a lookout balcony, Taiwanese Hollywood, exhibition area B, a multimedia room, and a tatami floor recreational area.
