The Employee Bathhouse, designated as a Taipei City Historic Site in 2000, is the first building within the Taipei Railway Workshop to be granted heritage status. Completed in 1935, it served as an important welfare facility for staff of the Taiwan Railways Administration, providing a place to wash and unwind after work to help relieve fatigue.
After its historic restoration and adaptive reuse, the Preparatory Office of National Railway Museum planned The Age of Steam — The Employee Bathhouse: A Permanent Exhibition at this site. The exhibition presents the unique character of the bathhouse as the first designated heritage building of the Taipei Railway Workshop, through three main sections: a scale model of the 1930s architecture, an on-site display of the central bath area, and exhibits detailing the restoration process.
The west section introduces the historical context of Taiwan’s architectural transition from the “modern era” to the “contemporary era” through images and models. It also showcases representative Taiwanese buildings constructed in the 1930s, highlighting the bathhouse’s connection to its time and its significance in the daily working life of railway staff. The east section focuses on the preservation journey of the Taipei Railway Workshop, displaying salvaged historic building components and discoveries from the restoration, bearing witness to the revival of Taiwan’s rare large-scale industrial cultural heritage.
The Employee Bathhouse was the first site in the Railway Museum Park of Taipei Railway Workshop to complete restoration and open to the public. To encourage ongoing interaction and fresh experiences within this historic setting, the Museum invited artist Liao Chien-Chung to create an installation inspired by the steam locomotive, symbolizing a tribute to industrial civilization.
The semi-circular form of the central bath area resembles a railway station, symbolizing the final stop for workers before leaving the workshop. Its arched roof trusses were ingeniously constructed using repurposed steel rails.
From the sidewalk along Civic Boulevard facing the Park, visitors can photograph the bathhouse’s complete facade, the semi-circular roof of the central bath area, and the parabolic skylights atop the roof—showcasing the thoughtful architectural design. Enhanced by landscaping and lighting, the beauty of the bathhouse can be enjoyed both day and night.
The east section also recounts the preservation process of the Taipei Railway Workshop, displays original building materials, and introduces discoveries from the restoration, witnessing the rebirth of one of Taiwan’s rare large-scale industrial cultural heritage sites.