The Taipei Guest House first served as the residence of the Taiwan governors-general during the period of Japanese rule. The building was completed in 1901, in the orderly and harmonious Renaissance Revival style. The structure was remodeled between 1911 and 1913, adopting a more Baroque flair. On November 28, 1945, the site was transferred to the Taiwan Province Administrative Official Public Ministry. The Ministry of the Interior declared the guest house a national historic building on August 16, 1998. After further restoration work was completed, the complex was opened to the public on June 4, 2006.
The Taiwan governors-general used the residence to welcome Japanese royal family members and other important guests. The building was repurposed and renamed the Taipei Guest House on February 1, 1946, to receive eminent domestic and foreign visitors. Now the Taipei Guest House and the Presidential Office Building are open to the public once a month on the same day. In addition to hosting diplomatic receptions and ceremonies, the Taipei Guest House provides an inviting venue to learn more about Taiwan’s history through the building’s striking architecture and its role in events both past and current.