The Red House Tours

The octagon-shaped Red House and its surrounding square are the pride and joy of Taipei’s flamboyant LGTBQI community. Come here to watch live performances, art-house movies or theater shows or attend the gay New Year’s Eve countdown. The annual Mr. Gay World Taiwan pageant and Taipei Pride also take place here.

Built in 1908 during the time of Japanese occupation, the red-brick building is a national treasure and declared a heritage site. Founded as a market place and teahouse, it has always been a community space. The Red House became a cultural theater in 2007.

Check the events calendar of the Taipei Culture Foundation to see what is on during your stay. If you already have tickets for a show, head straight up the stairs to the second-floor theater.

If there is no show scheduled, visit the small café on the ground floor or pick up some quality Taiwanese souvenirs, handmade jewelry or fashion in the little shops that occupy two levels. These stalls and stores are part of the Creative Boutique initiative to keep The Red House as a marketplace, while the on-site tea shop is a nod to the building’s history as a teahouse. There is a separate open space for rotating art exhibits.

The old-meets-new building is part of most Ximending walking tours offered to foreign visitors in English and other languages by local guides. Some tours focus on the LGTBQI element of the building and others on its architecture and history, which is displayed in a small museum exhibit on the ground floor.

You don’t even have to enter the building to be entertained. The square outside the building attracts many street artists and is often the location of a cultural festival or show. Street food vendors set up here too and as you eat you can admire the public sculptures on the outside of the building and in the square.

The Red House on Chengdu Road is open daily from late morning until late evening. If you take the Taipei Metro, you’ll find it close to the Ximen Station.