National Palace Museum Southern Branch Criticized as a “Mosquito Hall”; Scholar Says: “If It’s Good Enough, the World Will Come”
The National Palace Museum Southern Branch has often been criticized as a “mosquito hall” (a term for an underutilized facility), but experts in the museum field believe that with high-quality exhibitions, it has the potential to turn things around. “If it’s good enough, the world will come to pay homage,” they say.
Assistant Professor Ye Guo-Shin from National Taiwan Normal University’s Department of Fine Arts recently shared his perspective, drawing from his visit to a small museum in Osaka. Originally a modest institution, it became a major attraction after curating a refined exhibition featuring newly donated works from prominent artists and existing Song and Yuan dynasty treasures. The event drew international artists and collectors, turning it into a local sensation.
Ye pointed out that art appreciation often trickles down from elite praise to the general public. “If the Southern Branch can organize meaningful and high-quality exhibitions, why wouldn’t global artists come?” He expressed optimism, noting that the Southern Branch’s internal layout is more flexible than its northern counterpart.
He also suggested that the National Palace Museum should follow international trends by collaborating with external scholars and experts in exhibition curation. This could bring fresh perspectives and elevate its global reputation. He cited his former professor from the University of London, who was invited to become the Director of the Asian Department at the Art Institute of Chicago, as an example of how external expertise can enhance institutions.
Based on his experiences traveling worldwide, Ye emphasized that Chinese art enjoys a strong following from Europe and the U.S. to Japan. “As long as the exhibition is good enough, people will gladly come to see it,” he said. He advised that the Southern Branch should avoid simply showcasing exhibitions already available at the Northern Branch. Instead, it should leverage unique features of the Northern Branch’s collection to create distinctive exhibitions, which would undoubtedly attract visitors.
Li Zi-Ning, an assistant professor at Taipei National University of the Arts and associate researcher at the Taiwan Museum, echoed these sentiments. He believes the Southern Branch has potential as long as it can present high-quality exhibitions. While its hardware and software capabilities are excellent, the current exhibitions lack popular appeal and fail to draw the public’s attention. Li added that the Northern Branch is what truly defines the National Palace Museum’s reputation. Using the Northern Branch’s collection to organize unique exhibitions in the Southern Branch could draw crowds, much like how the iconic Din Tai Fung restaurant would fail to attract customers in southern Taiwan if it only served beef noodle soup instead of its famed soup dumplings.
