Awesome Science! Taipei's National Taiwan Science Education Center

 Do you want to spend the day at a place that calls itself an education center? Most people don't. But this place isn't about classrooms and lectures, or dusty stuffed dead animals in glass cases.

 The exhibits are generally out in the open, able to be touched and seen from many sides. And a large number of them are interactive.

 They are designed with children in mind. You can have fun at this place and learn a whole bunch of science at the same time! If you read Chinese, that is. (There is enough English information to keep it interesting for foreigners, so don't be afraid of that.)

 Have you ever walked through a digestive tract? I have! (Though a slimy, gross, more-realistic one would have been even cooler!)

 What are the differences between boys and girls at puberty? Learn about it here. No crazy puritan taboos.

 Interactive exhibits are scattered all over the large museum, and it's easy to spend a few hours here.

 I managed to find one glass case with a nice butterfly display. It was tucked in a corner of a hallway between exhibit halls.

 There is a lot on life sciences (especially the human body), but the physical sciences are examined as well.

 These stands help teach about electricity and magnetism.

 How pretty!

 Up on the fourth or fifth floor, you can put on a helmet and ride a bike across a wire. The weight beneath the bicycle guarantees it won't tip over!

 Uh oh. That's a scary cave...

 And it has scary creatures and plants in it! Ecology is another big focus of the museum.

 But I like physical sciences. Especially ones with physical exhibits.

This kid has only a head and an arm! It's all described with physics.

Admission to the NTSEC is only NT$100, and you can get there on foot from Shilin MRT Station. It's open from 9-5 (6 on the weekends), but is closed on Mondays. If you have an elementary school-aged child, this would be a great place to let them learn a bit but have lots of fun doing it.  [Note: at the time of this posting the website is inaccessible, but Taipei is experiencing some major storms and the museum is closed along with other area attractions. It's possible the servers are offline due to the storms.]