School artifacts that have been passed down through history are evidence of the transformation and development of an academic institution. The Archives of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) is the place that stores these valuable historical items and memories. A university known for its long and rich history must have archives that hold its wealth of cultural heritage. The Archives inspire a sense of belonging among faculty members, students, and alumni, and embody the universal values that society has instilled in the university. As a renowned educational institution with such an extended history, NTNU had recognized at an early stage the importance of keeping records of university history. The archive-keeping office was established in 1979 to preserve essential records and was assigned the responsibility of the library. Following these efforts, the Archives was opened on June 5, 1986 – the 40th anniversary of the university. In 2006, the Library was being responsible for managing the Archives and established the Department of University History with the purpose of managing history-related matters concerning the university in 2007. By October 2017, the Archives had collected and stored 7,982 pieces of university historical items.

NTNU’s collection of historical archives was conducted primarily through research, donation, transfers, reproduction, and the compilation of oral histories. The “National Taiwan Normal University Guidelines for the Collecting of Historical Artifacts” and “National Taiwan Normal University Guidelines for Establishing an Evaluation Panel for the Collection of Historical Artifacts” were approved and came into effect on October 31, 2012, to serve as standards for collecting and assessing items of value related to university history.

Historical artifacts collected by NTNU can be categorized into the following three types:

I. Printed literature: Including books, periodicals, newspaper clippings, records, postcards, photographs and albums, manuscripts, artistic images, maps, and posters.

II. Artifacts: Including souvenir, flags and banners, trophies, medals, items and clothing, models, furniture, and decorative items.

III. Digital files: Including photos, music, and video recordings.