Located by the Love River, the Kaohsiung Museum of History was the Kaohsiung City Hall under Japanese Rule. After World War II, the Kaohsiung City Hall remained in operation until its relocation to Lingya District (Sihwei Administration Center) in 1992. The Kaohsiung City Hall was designed by Ono Yonejiro and was constructed by Shimizu Corporation. Construction of the city hall began in 1938 and was completed in the following year. Taiwan fought alongside Japan during World War II at the time, therefore Shimizu Corporation adopted an imperial crown architectural style to the building’s construction, signifying the spirit of Japanese–Western integration. The classical building, combined with a classical Japanese imperial palace roof, promotes the spirit of Japanese nationalism.
鹽埕／高雄市役所(高雄市立歷史博物館)
今日矗立在愛河邊的高雄市立歷史博物館，原是日治時期的第二代高雄市役所（相當於今日的高雄市政府），當時隨著都市發展，行政中心從哈瑪星轉移至鹽埕，因而興建第二代的高雄市役所，戰後高雄市役所延續其功能成為高雄市政府，直至1992年遷至苓雅區四維行政區之前，這棟建築一直作為高雄市的行政中心使用。
高雄市役所由日人大野米次郎設計、日本的清水建設負責興建，於1938年動工、隔年落成啟用。由於當時適逢日本邁入戰爭時期，建築風格為「帝冠式」建築，蘊含和洋融合的精神，以古典建築屋身，結合日本古典傳統的皇宮大屋頂而形成，具有宣揚日本國粹之精神。
台灣的帝冠式建築並不多，但在高雄就有兩處：高雄市役所、高雄驛（舊高雄車站即今高雄願景館）均為此類型代表建築，突顯了高雄當時作為南進基地的重要地位。