TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new art museum in central Taiwan's Chiayi City is meeting the public next week, the latest chapter in the story of how a historical edifice was given a new lease of life.

The Chiayi Art Museum is located in what was formerly known as the Chiayi branch of the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau during Japanese colonial rule. Built in 1936, the compound houses a main building and two warehouses.

In a reinvigoration project, the city government has breathed life into the facility by turning it into an art space that will host exhibitions, art classes, a library, shops, dining services, and a vast garden. The new landmark will serve as a base on which to develop the city’s aesthetics, wrote Newtalk.

The architecture boasts a plethora of wood and glass elements and is being hailed as the first historical site in Chiayi to be reborn with a modern look. The barriers will be torn down on Aug. 17, with operations set to begin in September.

The outdoor section of the museum will be dedicated to displaying paintings by Tan Ting-pho (陳澄波), a renowned Taiwanese painter from Chiayi. The venue is in close proximity to the Chiayi Train Station, and visitors are invited to set foot in nearby tourist attractions, including the Chiayi Cultural & Creative Industries Park, Art Site of Chiayi Railway Warehouse, and Museum of Ancient Taiwan Tiles.

(Facebook, Chiayi Art Museum photo)