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Toward the rear of Qingbian Road on Jishan Street, a sign points the way to the “Jiufen Gold Mine Museum.” Follow the road and you’ll come to a freestanding house whose façade bears the same name. The museum was single-handedly converted from family property by the late miner Zeng Shuichi, opening in 1992. After Mr. Zeng passed away in 2012, his son Zeng Jianwen and granddaughter Zeng Yixian have kept it running—a feat in itself. Even rarer is the collection inside: more than a thousand raw stones that old miner Zeng hauled out of the pits. The difficulty lies not just in amassing so many, but in resisting the urge to refine them—remember, untapped gold has value. Jiufen’s gold-rush days may be distant, yet the dream of overnight riches has never faded. In the museum you’ll find a small pit called “Mine No. 9,” a short narrow track running straight into it, with an ore cart on the rails. Miners’ lamps, stone mortars, timber and other gear are scattered about, recreating a miniature mining scene that beckons travelers to glimpse the world beneath. Beyond the exhibits, the biggest draw is trying your own hand at gold panning—washing sand for gleaming flakes and living out the timeless dream of striking it rich.