Oct. 26, 1978

Resolution was reached at the Executive Yuan’s 1601st session to establish a marine museum as one of the three major museums to be established under the National Social/Educational Institutions and County/City Civic Centers Development Plan. In 1979, the establishment of a marine museum was listed as one of the twelve major development plans for national level cultural facilities.

June 19, 1985

A planning committee for the national marine museum was set up under the leadership of Political Vice Minister RUAN Ta-nien of the Ministry of Education.

Sept. 15, 1988

The Ministry of Education announced the location for the Museum of Applied Marine Technology and Aquatic Products, on Beining Road located at the border between Keelung City and Taipei County.

Feb. 14, 1989

Professor Bonnie Sun Pan was appointed to head the planning for the Museum of Applied Marine Technology and Aquatic Products.

Sept. 19, 1989

Taking into account the balance of regional development and characteristics of the museum, the Executive Yuan approved to the setting up of the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology in Keelung, and the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung.

Jan. 5, 1990

A planning committee for the establishment of NMMST was formally established. Professor Bonnie Sun Pan was appointed to head the committee in obtaining land from the Keelung City Hall.

Jan. 19, 1992

The Ministry of the Interior approved the Urban Reform Plan for Downtown Keelung, An-le and Badouzi Regions.

Jan. 7, 1993

The Keelung City Hall announced the implementation to the Urban Reform Plan for Downtown Keelung, An-le and Badouzi Regions.

Dec. 20, 1997

Preparatory office for the NMMST was formally established. Professor Bonnie Sun Pan was appointed director to the office.

Aug. 3, 1999

The Executive Yuan passed the Overall Plan for the NMMST. Budget for the building of the NMMST was temporary set at NT$5 billion.

Aug. 26, 1999

The Environmental Protection Administration passed the report on Environmental Impacts of Establishing the NMMST.

May 27, 2000

The NMMST management service was commissioned to China Engineering Consultants, Inc.

Dec. 10, 2000

The NMMST overall planning service was commissioned to Chermayeff, Sollogub and Poole, Inc.

Dec. 20, 2001

Assistant Researcher CHEN Tien-hsi was appointed acting director to the preparatory office.

Mar. 22, 2002

The Chao-Jing Park was opened to public.

Sept. 5, 2002

Associate Professor HUANG Shyh-chang was appointed director to the preparatory office.

Dec. 5, 2002

The Ministry of Education convened the first guidance council meeting of the preparatory office. The meeting was chaired by Minister without portfolio LIN Sheng-fong and Political Vice Minister FAN Sun-lu.

Apr. 11, 2003

The preparatory office was moved to Banyan House within the NMMST site.

Apr. 27, 2003

The superintending service for the Chao-Jing Marine Research Center and landscaping for the Chao-Jing Park was commissioned to Chien Architects & Associates.

May 30, 2003

The Ministry of Education convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures for problems that arose from renting the land for building the NMMST. The meeting was chaired by Minister without portfolio LIN Sheng-fong and Political Vice Minister FAN Sun-lu. Administrative Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Mayor of Keelung City, and Secretary General of the Keelung City Council were also present at the meeting. Two resolutions were reached at the meeting: 1) it was more feasible to exchange land for land to allow the NMMST and the Taiwan Electric Company to sustain operation without compromising the principle of collective management and function. In terms of the advantages to fully utilize government owned land, such exchange has positive effects on educational, social, and economic values. 2) When the exchange is completed, the Keelung City Hall should adhere to its pledge of providing land at no cost and continue to rent or purchase the land from the National Property Bureau to build the NMMST.

July 19, 2003

The Chao-Jing Aquaculture Station opened its doors to the public.

Aug. 6-Dec. 30, 2003

A committee to handle the land for land exchange was established. Director HUANG Shih-chang of the preparatory office and convenor CHANG Chian-hua of the Keelung City NMMST promotion unit co-chaired the committee. Members of the committee included representatives from the National Property Bureau, Keelung City Hall, Land Administration Office, Taiwan Power Company, Shen-ao Power Plant, and Xiehe Power Plant. Five meetings were held to discuss matters on boundary of the lands to be exchanged, exchange of target verification, inventory, and blueprints, differences in value of the exchanged lands, and other related issues.

Oct. 3, 2003

The bid for BOT went to China Engineering Consultants, Inc.

Dec. 20, 2003

The planning and supervision for the marine science and technology exhibition was commissioned to Tanseisha Co., Ltd. and U-Joint Design Construction Co., Ltd.

Apr. 23, 2004

The Executive Yuan approved the land for land exchange proposal.

July 24, 2004

The planning and supervision for the construction of the marine science and technology structure was commissioned to Fei & Cheng Associates, J.M. Lin Architect-Observer Design Group, and Chien Architects & Associates.

July 30, 2004

The planning and supervision for the management information system was commissioned to China Data Processing Center.

Nov. 9, 2004

The Executive Yuan approved the use of the 30 land titles that originally belonged to the defunct North Thermal Power Station.

Mar. 18, 2005

In a formal letter, the Executive Yuan urged to enlarge the construction project into a marine and tourism complex and asked for coordinative efforts from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Interior Ministry's Construction and Planning Agency, the Council of Agriculture's Fisheries Administration, and the Keelung City Government. An amount of NT$5 billion was budgeted for the entire project and not intended for just the main body of the Museum.

July 8, 2005

The bid for Chao-jing Marine Research Center was decided.

Nov. 14, 2005

The Executive Yuan approved the revised plan for the overall construction of National Museum of Marine Science & Technology.

Nov. 14, 2005

The Executive Yuan approved the third revision of the preliminary plan and feasibility assessment for private sector participation in the investment and construction of the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology.

Jan. 6, 2006

A marine education and tourism corridor outlook symposium was held to gather the consensus towards long term developments; and to draft strategies for dividing and executing the labor.

Feb. 13, 2006

The OT/BOT invitation for the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology was posted online for the first time but did not receive any offers by the deadline (April 18). A second posting was made on May 24, and still did not receive offers by the second deadline (July 12).

July 31, 2006

The management contract signed with the China Engineering Consultants, Inc., terminated.

Sept. 5, 2006

Director Huang Shyh-chang returned to teaching at the National Chiaotung University and Associate Researcher Chen Tien-hsi acted as the director of the preparatory office.

Nov. 10, 2006

Chairman Wu Ze-cheng of the Executive Yuan's Public Construction Commission conducted a follow-up discussion on the construction plan of the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology. The Keelung City Government was asked to facilitate private participation in the construction.

Nov. 16, 2006

Liu Yu-shan, the Executive Yuan Secretary General, held a congregation and invited representatives from the Ministries of Education, Finance, National Defen se, Communications and Transportation; Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics; the Council of Economic Planning and Development; and the Taiwan Power Company. The conciliatory congregation led to agreements to proceed with the acquisition of the land that used to be a Taipower transformer station.

Nov. 19, 2006

Premier Su Tseng-chang came for a visit together with Secretary General Liu Yu-shan, Government Affairs Officer Wu Ze-cheng, Communication Minister Tsai Tui, Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng, Chairman Shi Neng-chieh of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, Keelung Mayor Hsu Tsai-li and Legislator Wang Tu. The premier expressed his support for the construction of the Museum and advised to distinguish it from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung County.

Feb. 6, 2007

The contract with consultants for recruitment of private sector participation in the construction and operation of the Museum terminated and the payment was settled.

Mar. 1, 2007

Prof. Kehr Young-zehr of National Taiwan Ocean University assumed the post as the Museum's preparatory office director.

Mar. 29, 2007

The Executive Yuan, in principle, agreed to resume the Shen' ao spur railway service in coordination with the opening of the Museum. The maintenance costs of the line are to be shared by all the agencies that are involved. The Keelung City Government is exempted from sharing the cost because of its financial straits whereas the Museum is accountable for a maximum of $10 million NT per year.

Apr. 17, 2007

The environmental assessment analysis report for the Museum construction project was approved during the 150th Environmental Protection Administration meeting.

June. 6, 2007

The Executive Yuan's Public Construction Commission approved the preliminary engineering plan and budget proposal for the Museum.

June. 11, 2007

The Executive Yuan approved the comprehensive plan of the Museum along and its supplemented information.

Oct. 4, 2007

A contract was signed with the National Expressway Engineering Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The bureau will make construction purchases on behalf of the Museum and assist the Museum in carrying out the follow-up construction work.

Oct. 8, 2007

The Ministry of Interior Affairs agreed to process Taipower transformer station land acquisition (0.4848 hectares).

Oct. 30, 2007

The Council for Agriculture approved the land and water conservation plan for construction of the National Museum of Science and Technology main building.

Dec. 24, 2007

The first-phase of construction for the Museum started with a ceremony participated, among others, by Premier Chang Chun-hsiung, Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng, Public Construction Commission Chairman Wu Ze-cheng, and Keelung Mayor Chang Tung-jung.

Dec. 31, 2007

A contract is signed with IMAX of Canada for the purchase of projector equipment to be used in the Marine Theater.

June 25, 2008

The contractors for construction of the Chao-jing Marine Research Center declared completion of construction.

July 24, 2008

The Executive Yuan approved the report with revised construction plan for the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology. (The revision was made in response to the increased cost of construction and material).

Aug. 7, 2008

The Ministry of Education accepted the report with the revised plan, which was approved by the Executive Yuan, and asked the museum's preparatory office to quickly prepare another report once the bidding for the first and second phases of construction was completed.

Sept. 26, 2008

The information for the second-phase construction, the Museum's thematic building, opened up to the public perusal from Sept. 26 to Oct. 6.

Oct. 22, 2008

The construction of the Chao-jing Marine Research Centre completed and the inspection of the building was accepted. An inauguration ceremony was held on Dec.24.

Dec. 18, 2008

The second-phase of Museum's construction was decided.

Dec. 24, 2008

Official opening of the Chao-jing Marine Research Centre.