Modern Times: Records Turned, Pop Was Born
- Enjoy more than 100 valuable exhibits at one time, including century-old phonographs, 78 rpm records, historical photos, newspapers and magazines, manuscripts, and never-before-seen recordings.
- "The Song of the Brown Tea Shop" written by Taiwan's first record producer Chen Junyu for Taiwan's first generation female singer Chun Chun has never been published before. This time, the song was recomposed and arranged by Huang Yunling, chairman of the Taipei Pop Music Center, and handed over to the popular Golden Melody Award winner Xu Fukai to sing, paying tribute to the mutual appreciation between musicians. The exhibition features a "Modern Times Daily" section, which provides a glimpse into the modern culture that was popular at the time, as well as the latest developments and anecdotes of celebrities.
- Create large-scale advertising vehicles and bustling street scenes to leave your modern image.
- Surprise reappearance off-site - echoing the "Brazilian Tea Shop" exhibition area, a 1930s "Peacock Coffee Shop" was built on the first floor of Beiliu Cultural Center, using the original cocktail recipe to reproduce cups of new wine, showing the ultimate in old-school luxury.
- Not only explores the development history of Taiwanese pop music, but also connects the past and present to continue the inheritance and rebirth of music stories.
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What to expect
Exhibition location: Taipei Music Center Cultural Center, 2F Special Exhibition Hall (No. 99, Section 7, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City) Exhibition time: 10:00 on May 24, 2025 to 18:00 on August 10, 2025 Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00~18:00, last admission 17:30
Official website: https://tmctaipei.tw/tt04tRbyy Beiliu FB: https://tmctaipei.tw/tt04EbEvu Beiliu IG: https://tmctaipei.tw/tt04KbmA3 Beiliu LINE official account: https://tmctaipei.tw/tt04LnIJz Cultural Center FB: https://tmctaipei.tw/tt04VauUz
Exhibition Introduction
"Modern Times: The Records Turn, the Pops Are Born" travels through time and follows "Black Cat" and "Black Dog" back to the modern era of the 1930s that was full of creativity and vitality! With Taiwan records as the center, the show weaves together the gaps between time and space through precious historical relics and music stories, allowing the audience to return to the source of pop music.
This exhibition uses "Dadaocheng" as the narrative background. Through this representative venue, it reviews the unique perspective of island music and humanities: entering the "Time and Space Old House" exhibition area, the grand hall opens the sound prelude; through the visual transfer of gradient lighting, the "Day and Night of Dadaocheng" presents the old rice river style; "Brazilian Tea Shop" is a tea shop run by the first Taiwanese female star Chun Chun, and there are romantic interactions between musicians in the shop.
In "Modern Times: The Turn of Records and the Birth of Pop", you can enjoy more than a hundred treasures, including a century-old phonograph, 78-rpm records, private manuscripts, never-before-seen recordings and photos, etc. In addition, Beiliu has specially recreated the famous "Peacock Coffee Shop" from the 1930s in the lobby on the first floor of the Cultural Center, using the original cocktail recipe to create new cups of wine, allowing your tongue to fully enjoy the purest modern romance and old-fashioned luxury.
Through the sound waves in the record, we will reconnect the past and the present, glimpse the shadows of classic songs flowing through time, and re-understand the cultural influence generated over the past century.
[Peacock Restaurant]
In the 1930s, coffee shop culture became a trend in Taiwan, combining exquisite cuisine, alcoholic beverages and female escorts, becoming a corner of the city where modernity and romance intertwined. The women chat with people to relieve their boredom and provide emotional comfort, allowing people to temporarily forget their worries in the fragrance and light.
In 1932, tea merchant Guo Bo-Jung opened the "Que Coffee Shop" in Dadaocheng, creating a modern space with gorgeous decoration and 21 prostitutes; he later founded "Bo-Yo Music Records", combining music and entertainment, leading the early development of Taiwanese pop music.
The special exhibition "Modern Times: Records Turn, Pop Is Born" is a replica of the "Peacock Coffee Shop" on the first floor of the Taipei Pop Music Center Cultural Hall. With the coffee shop as the center, it integrates the musical elements of Boyu Music and reproduces the coffee culture of a hundred years ago through space design and retro details.
In addition, you can redeem a "snack" for free with your exhibition admission ticket (including physical ticket stub and electronic ticket). We invite you to drink a glass of wine that travels through time and space and reminisce about that charming and dreamy era.
Good to know
Exhibition Information
- Please refrain from making loud noises, playing, eating, smoking, or throwing away paper scraps or other debris in the exhibition hall.
- Visitors who are not properly dressed, bring pets or have long-handled umbrellas are not allowed to visit. (Except guide dogs)
- Video recording is prohibited in the venue. Photography is for record purposes only. Please do not use flash, selfie sticks or tripods. Works that are not open to photography will be marked with prohibited signs.
- If you wish to take photos or videos for commercial purposes or have other special needs, you should apply to the Museum in advance.
- Unless otherwise stated, touching the exhibits is prohibited.
- Tickets are for single use only and cannot be resold. They will be deemed invalid if damaged or lost. They will be void after the expiration date and will not be reissued.
- Those who are eligible for preferential tickets, senior citizen tickets and free tickets, please actively show the supporting documents; various discounts cannot be used at the same time.
- If there are too many people, crowd control will be implemented. Please follow the instructions of the on-site staff to queue up for entry.
- Other ticket-related regulations Any consumer disputes arising from this ticket will be handled in accordance with the matters that should and should not be recorded in the standard contract for arts and cultural exhibition tickets promulgated by the Ministry of Culture.
- If there are any matters not covered in these notices, the organizer reserves the right to interpret, add, change, and cancel the notices. The relevant regulations shall be based on the Taipei Pop Music Center FB fan page, IG, event official website and on-site announcements.
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Reviews
Here’s the translated and rephrased version in natural English: ⸻ It’s a nice exhibition overall. However, having an audio guide or scheduled guided tours would make it even better. The information on the display boards is a bit basic, so for visitors who aren’t familiar with the singers, music industry history, or materials like shellac and vinyl, it can be hard to fully appreciate the significance and value of the exhibits.
Considering the ticket price, it is a very sincere exhibition. The overall art and exhibition area design are great, with a very contemporary atmosphere and rich exhibits. I recommend it to people who like retro records! The only drawback is that the staff training of the exhibition site staff is not good enough. They have limited understanding of the content of their own exhibition area. When seeking assistance from the exhibition area staff, the exhibition area staff did not help, but asked the guests to handle it themselves. This is the first time I have encountered such a situation, which is quite strange!
I thought it was pretty good. You can see this exhibition first, and then go to the pop music exhibition to better appreciate the difference in cultural shifts! There are listening stations, the life stories of the creators, manuscripts, stories about the singers of the time, and many record players from contemporary culture!
It was amazing, I had so much fun taking pictures with my friends. A descendant was there to explain the history to us, and overall I highly recommend it. You can see many products of the modern era, and be sure to visit the Peacock Cafe at the end.
The history of records is worth remembering. I think this exhibition is very good. There is also a retro cafe on the first floor. You can get a complimentary nut platter with your ticket stub!
There are many precious records, phonographs and antiques, which are worth seeing. The exhibition area is well decorated, which allows people to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the time. In addition, you can also hear Deng Yuxian's rare singing!
The exhibition pieces are very precious, including manuscripts, records, and gramophones. If you have the chance, you must go see it. It's very worthwhile! 😊
Absolutely stunning! It's vintage and full of charm, making you feel like you've stepped back in time. Highly recommend it! The exhibition is even more elaborate and well-thought-out than I imagined!
This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see vintage records and listen to music. Plus, the scenery is beautiful!
The special exhibition of the development of popular music in the 1930s, with many precious manuscripts and original sound files, allows people to slowly look back at the modern melody atmosphere of the Mao era👍
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