Roof tiles slid off a large area of a research and administration building at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. The museum said it had assessed the situation and would repair it as soon as possible.

The building serves research and administrative functions rather than exhibition, and is separate from collection storage; artifacts were reported unaffected.

Buildings on the museum grounds largely use traditional Chinese-style tiled roofs. Tiles are held by overlap and weight rather than adhesive, so aging substructure can allow local slippage.

Why repairs are hard

Restoring a traditional roof requires both matching tiles and skilled craftsmen. Where a size is out of production, custom fabrication takes time.

Northern Taiwan sees repeated typhoons and heavy summer rain. Cycles of water intrusion and drying are cited as weakening the earth bed and waterproofing beneath the tiles.

The museum has closed off the affected area and is conducting safety checks; visitor routes are described as little affected.

Buildings on heritage sites must meet preservation standards even during repair, which often lengthens the work.