Former Tait & Co. Merchant House

The pure white Western-style building located next to the Anping Tree House is the former site of Tait & Co. Merchant House, a British trading company. This building was established in Anping, Tainan, after the opening of Anping Port, and was one of the five major foreign trading houses at the time. In the early days when the port was still navigable, Tait & Co., situated right by the harbor, was primarily engaged in the export of sugar, camphor, and tea, and also imported opium. It was once an important and prosperous commercial hub in the area.

Today, Tait & Co. no longer serves a commercial function and has been transformed into the “Taiwan Development Wax Museum,” which uses wax figures to depict early life in Taiwan. In 2001, the museum specially created a “Time Corridor” exhibition that thoroughly presents the historical background and development of Tait & Co., allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of this chapter in Taiwan’s pioneering history.