During the Japanese colonial period, National Taiwan University was chartered as Taihoku Imperial University on March 17, 1928, and was the only university in Taiwan at the time. After World War II ended in 1945, the Ministry of Education appointed Lo Tsung-lo to assume leadership of Taihoku Imperial University from Japan on behalf of the Nationalist government on Nov. 15, and renamed it National Taiwan University. However, it wasn’t until November 1998 that NTU started displaying its chronological history in a simple style in a corner of the first floor of the NTU Main Library. In May 2004, NTU assigned the Library to set up a team to found the NTU History Gallery. The Gallery was inaugurated on June 22, 2005, after which it opened its doors to the public and started offering guided tours on Nov. 7.

The NTU History Gallery resides in the NTU Old Main Library. Built in 1929, the NTU Old Main Library building was identified as a historical site by the Taipei City Government in 1998. NTU History Gallery’s permanent exhibition area is located in the central reading room on the second floor. The vaulted ceiling and row of arch windows are designed to offer an elegant and unique view. The themes on display include NTU’s spirit and symbols, chronology, accreditations and achievements of different colleges, social participation, campus life, change of campus appearance, landscape history, reflections, and intergenerational memories. Chuan Lyu Hall is located on the second floor in the special exhibition area, east of the rear building. It was donated by the Chuan Lyu Foundation, whose founder, Dr. Li Hua-lin, who now lives in the US, was an alumnus of the Department of Pharmacy. The hall was inaugurated on NTU’s anniversary in 2007.

Since its establishment, the NTU History Gallery has been dedicated to a rich array of fields, such as the research of history and humanities since the Japanese colonial period and the collection of historical artifacts, documents, old photos, and oral history interviews. It also curates exhibits and events about NTU history, publishes books, and markets NTU souvenirs. By combining the experiences of alumni and current students, NTU History Gallery aims to bring together its illustrious heritage, preserve collective memories, and pass on the NTU spirit and legacy.