A childhood memory shared by generations of Taipei residents — “Children’s Amusement Park” says goodbye at year’s end

▲ Children’s Amusement Park is a shared memory for countless generations of Taipei residents. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The “Taipei Municipal Children’s Amusement Center” (also known as Children’s Amusement Park), a cherished memory for multiple generations of Taipei citizens and rooted in Yuanshan since the Japanese colonial era, is truly saying farewell to the people of Taipei after 80 years. It is expected to close before the end of this year, once the new “Taipei Children’s Amusement Park” in Shilin becomes operational, marking the official end of an era at its original site.

Established in 1934, Children’s Amusement Park was once the earliest and only public children’s amusement park in Taiwan. The park’s carousel, bumper cars, gyro swing, canyon train, and tea cups... were rides that many people, in their younger years, begged their parents to go on over and over again, no matter how long the line. The 3D Fantasy Theater in the “Tomorrow World” section featured giant screens playing films exploring the mysteries of life on Earth and the age of dinosaurs, thrilling children with every visit. The “Yesterday World” area displayed rows of traditional houses of varying heights, with small siheyuan and sanheyuan courtyards showcasing a variety of folk crafts — a cool retreat from the sun while enjoying the displays. Now, with the closure of Children’s Amusement Park, these memories can only be revisited through old photographs.

The news that Children’s Amusement Park will officially close has drawn many netizens expressing their reluctance to say goodbye: “There are so many wonderful memories here. I haven’t been back since moving away, and now that it’s closing, I feel so regretful...”, “This was where I went on school field trips and had my first date as a kid!” and “Goodbye, the Children’s Amusement Park we all played at in those years.” In the future, the new “Taipei Children’s Amusement Park” will open at the National Science Education Center in Shilin, featuring additional rides, while parts of the old park will be preserved and opened for public visits.

▲ The much-loved “Yesterday World” (top photo); in the early days, Children’s Amusement Park was packed with visitors, with lines stretching hundreds of meters (bottom photo). (Photos / both fromTaipei Municipal Children’s Amusement Center’s official fan page))