In 1936, Hsinchu Autonomous Association Hall was built and completed the following year. This was a high-end hotel used for banquets, receptions, and gatherings. Nine years after World War II, in 1945, it became Hsinchu Reception Center, the venue for the National Government Reception Committee.

In 1911, the Council for Cultural Affairs approved glass as a local characteristic of Hsinchu City, and began holding the biennial International Glass Art Festival in 1995 to promote the development of glass craftsmanship. In 1999, the building became the Glass Museum of Hsinchu City. In addition to its main functions of collection, preservation, and research, it also promotes glass craftsmanship through exhibitions and other means.

The Glass Museum of Hsinchu City is the first glass-themed museum in Taiwan. It is committed to promoting glass crafts and encouraging glass creation, so that the world can see the light of Hsinchu glass.