The Palace Museum Partners with Dunpin Middle School for Family Day: Flight Boys Become Tour Guides

(Central News Agency reporter Wang Bao'er, Taipei, June 15) — Opening new possibilities for 'flight boys,' the National Palace Museum has collaborated with Dunpin Middle School, a correctional school in Taoyuan, to introduce a creative curriculum. Today marks the first-ever Family Day event, where students took on the role of docents, presenting Palace Museum artifacts to family members, social workers, and other distinguished guests.

Since 1997, the National Palace Museum has brought educational traveling exhibitions to correctional schools across Taiwan. Starting in 2012, it began training students to guide tours of replica artifacts, initially partnering with Taoyuan Juvenile Correctional Institution, the predecessor of Dunpin Middle School. In this latest initiative, the Museum's teaching team has been conducting classes at Dunpin since February 2024, integrating artifact appreciation, theatrical interaction, exhibition design, and docent training. The program also connects with Dunpin’s vocational courses in pottery and handmade soap production.

Today’s event, titled 'Between Transformation and the Heart: My Guide to Mythical Beasts,' combined a Family Day with a成果 exhibition. Museum Director Hsiao Tsung-huang stated that the Family Day holds deep significance, allowing cultural artifacts to become a medium through which students explore history, express themselves, and initiate dialogue with family, teachers, and society. He emphasized the Museum’s educational mission in accompanying youth through cultural engagement and self-discovery.

Liu Ling-ling, Deputy Director-General of the Correctional Administration, Ministry of Justice, noted that the docent training has not only sparked students’ creative interests but also restored their confidence in verbal expression. She highlighted that today’s presentations—ranging from artifact tours to handmade soaps, pottery works, and message display boxes—demonstrate the transformative power of art in correctional education. She expressed hope for continued cross-sector cultural collaborations and encouraged students to carry this experience forward as a source of strength.

Dunpin Middle School Principal Kuo Tsung-yu likened the initiative to the 'Starry Sky Project,' emphasizing that education creates opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to showcase their potential. While correctional schools are not geographically remote, he noted they often exist as 'alternative remote areas' due to social stigma and institutional distance. The students, like stars scattered in these regions, have historically lacked opportunities to shine due to their upbringing or circumstances. He expressed hope that through sustained educational and cultural support, students can continue to uncover their talents and build self-confidence. (Edited by Hsiao Po-wen) 1150615