Now open at the Kaohsiung Lighthouse, the special exhibition “The Light of Taiwan: The Path of the Lighthouse”, organized by the Kaohsiung Land Development Company and curated by X-Basic Planning, showcases 10 distinctive lighthouses from Taiwan’s main and outlying islands. The exhibition guides visitors to explore their unique origins and evolving roles in modern society, revealing the island’s long and rich lighthouse history.

Inside the compact and elegant exhibition space, a large interactive map pinpoints the locations of lighthouses across Taiwan. An interactive flip-card installation tells each lighthouse’s story, inviting visitors to discover its history, context, and design. Here, you can learn how the Yuwengdao Lighthouse became the first coastal light fueled by peanut oil, why the Fugueijiao Lighthouse is painted black and white, and how the government introduced modern British industrial technology during the Qing Rule Period. Beyond captivating historical accounts, the exhibition uses illustrations to clarify practical knowledge, such as the distinction between “focal height” and “tower height”, and the details of lighthouse construction.

From the first oil lamps of the Qing Rule Period and the craftsmanship of the Japanese Rule Period to its status as a historical site today, the lighthouse is not just a microcosm of Taiwan’s maritime history but also a prime example of cultural heritage reuse. The Kaohsiung Lighthouse, host of “The Light of Taiwan” exhibition, is the perfect embodiment of this legacy.

Having witnessed the evolution of the commercial port, the Kaohsiung Lighthouse is now jointly operated by X-Basic Planning and Siao Ben Aiyu, becoming Taiwan’s first lighthouse park with nighttime hours. The local brand Coastline Coffee has been invited to open a cafe, offering a place for visitors to Cihou Mountain to relax and enjoy the harbor’s ambiance. The team has also creatively broken from convention by juxtaposing the elegant movements of modern fencing with the lighthouse’s silent, stoic presence. These vibrant initiatives are gradually transforming a remote maritime beacon into a public space woven into the fabric of local life.

The “Light of Taiwan: The Path of the Lighthouse” exhibition begins with a look back at the island’s history, chronicling our journey of interaction with the sea and the land. We warmly invite you to the Kaohsiung Lighthouse. Come and personally turn the pages of these distant seafaring tales, feel how a century-old light has watched over our shores, and see how it shines in harmony with the city’s future renewal.