台灣史前文化博物館是由卑南文化遺址出土文物而獲催生,建館伊始主要考量如何保存該批文物,但是隨著民眾對於博物館價值與功能的逐漸了解,加上國家對於整體教育文化政策變革之際,使「史前文化」這個領域的意義與「自然科學」、「科學工藝」、「海洋生物」、「台灣歷史」、「海洋科技」等博物館事業受到相等的重視,因此該館的典藏、研究與展示任務就逐漸形成。近年來,台灣社會對於博物館期待的是一種量化的、趨利的、可控制的、立即反饋的「有效益」營運形態;而真正屬於博物館核心專業的研究、典藏和展示在經費預算的審議和未來博物館走向的討論中,經常是被當作理所當然或未覺察其重要性而付諸闕如。博物館畢竟與一般的行銷市場有別,試比較:參加/參與、價格/價值、群眾/社群、新奇/感動、瀏覽/體驗、品嘗/沉浸等等的因素的真正意涵,在在挑戰未來博物館經營在媚俗和堅持核心價值的差別。
The National Museum of Prehistory was originally established in 2002 to rescue and preserve the Peinan (Puyuma) Site excavated in Taitung in 1980. After it inauguration, its functions have been enhanced to include cultural education in addition to depositary, exhibition, and research ones. However, as is expected to operate under such indicators of efficient strategy as quantification, profitability, controllability, and instant feedback, its traditional missions of have been substantively curtailed owing to budgetary cut in recent years. It is argued that the operation of museums is different from commercial ones. Therefore, the biggest challenge is how to retain its core values while resisting kitsch.