臺北市政府文化局

Puppetry is a performance art that uses puppets to tell stories. When most people in Taiwan think of puppet theater, they might think of the glove puppetry they saw on television, in film, or at festive celebrations and religious ceremonies. But in fact the scope of puppet theater is quite broad and encompasses such forms as shadow puppetry and marionette theater. So where can we learn more about puppet theater?

In Fusheng Park, next to the former Core Pacific City site on Civic Boulevard, stands a modest brick-red building. The first floor houses the Fusheng Community Activity Center, where many residents come to exercise and socialize on weekdays. If you look up at the outside of the building from the park, you might be surprised by the three striking faces on the facade. Entering the building and walking up the stairs to the second floor, you will find the unique Puppetry Art Center of Taipei (PACT).

Why is PACT, which opened in 2004, located here? This was the original site of the Tangrong Iron Works Bade Road Machinery Factory. During construction of the Core Pacific City Living Mall, the developer erected this building for the local community as part of its Giving Back to the Local Community programme by the Taipei City Government. Sometime later, Dr. Lin Ching-fu from the Taiyuan Arts and Culture Foundation decided to donate his puppet collection, amassed over decades, which led to the founding of the center.

It is Dr. Lin’s precious collection that makes PACT one of the few spaces in Taipei equipped with a storage room, exhibition hall, and theater all under one roof. The center’s long-standing collaboration with schools has promoted display of its collection, performances, and educational activities. While the storage room is typically closed to the public in order to keep the puppets in optimum condition, guided tours can be arranged by appointment. Inside, visitors find not only glove puppets but also a variety of the devices used in shadow puppetry performances. Opening a storage cabinet reveals several puppets as big as young children, evoking scenes from the movie Night at the Museum.

In recent years, the museum has also started collaborating with emerging playwrights and puppetry performers in a residency-style programme to showcase the diversity of puppet theater to the public. Why not visit PACT one weekend and discover this art form?