The consciousness of the Taiwanese identity and museums in Taiwan

The consciousness of the Taiwanese identity is currently one of the most popular issues in Taiwan. Museums, being always related to the identity of people, are inevitably influenced by this trend of thought. In the past, the historical and political situation in Mainland China and Taiwan made museums tools of the government for shaping people's identity. Nowadays, because of the rise of the consciousness of the Taiwanese identity, traditional museums have to change their directions, and the newly established museums set their aims on presenting and promoting local culture. The authoritative culture established by the Nationalist government is gradually replaced by those that emphasize Nativism and the consciousness of the Taiwanese identity. In the process of adjusting to the consciousness, however, some opinions have caused other problems. People, therefore, should put more thoughts in following the consciousness; otherwise, political opinions might once again influence the making of cultural decisions.