Cijin Shell Gallery – Kaohsiung City, Taiwan - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Cijin Shell Gallery

Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

This seaside museum boasts a colorful collection of over 3,000 shells, the largest in Taiwan. 

View all photos
1
10
Top Places in Kaohsiung City
MeiNong I-Chan
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Funny Sex
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
The Dome of Light
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
 See All

Cijin Island in Kaohsiung is popular among daytrippers in Kaohsiung for its black sand beaches and the 19th-century lighthouse on its northern tip, which has become a minor tourist attraction. The island also boasts Taiwan’s largest collection of shells at the Cijin Shell Gallery, a museum on the second floor of the island’s tourist center overlooking the beach.

The more than 3,000 shells were donated to the city by local collector Huang Ko-Liang and the local tourism bureau built a museum to house them. Sorted by genus, the shells are lines on spacious rows of shelves with cards detailing their scientific classification and place of origin. Between the shelves, cases hold artistic displays of spiraling cords of dangling shells.

The collection boasts an impressive variety, including over 2,000 different kinds of seashells and over 600 different kinds of land snails. Highlights include a massive giant clam shell and several nautilus shells. The museum also holds a few shark jaw specimens.

Know Before You Go

The ferry to Cijin Island takes less than 10 minutes and leaves at 10 to 15-minute intervals, between 5 a.m. and 2 a.m.


The museum's admission fee is 30 NTD and hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.


Just north is the Rainbow Church, an art installation that has become a popular site for photographs.

shells marine museums and collections
Community Contributors
gettyhesse
Added by
gettyhesse
Published
June 18, 2024
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Cijin Tunnel
1.04 miles
The British Consulate at Takow
1.31 miles
Pier2 Art Center
1.38 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Cijin Tunnel
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Cijin Tunnel

A Japanese-era military tunnel is now a psychedelic art exhibit.
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

The British Consulate at Takow

This historic 19th-century building was the center of British trade and diplomacy in Taiwan.
Pier2 Art Center
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Pier2 Art Center

A thriving community of Taiwanese art.
Takao Railway Museum
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Takao Railway Museum

A museum commemorates what was once the largest freight station in Taiwan.
Related Places
Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Kallin Shell Midden

This impressive midden of scallop shells apparently all comes from a single fishing company.
Jellyfish!
Monterey, California

Jellyfish Exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.
Ichthyology Collection
Seattle, Washington

Burke Museum Ichthyology Collection

This remarkable collection devoted to the study of fish includes 1 million preserved specimens from all around the world.
Brussels, Belgium

Autoworld

From motorcycles to firetrucks and sports cars to horse-drawn carriages, this Belgian collection goes beyond rare cars.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web