National Museum of Korea

When Japan was defeated in World War II, Korea regained its independence. After liberation in 1945, Korea took over the Joseon Government General Museum and renamed it "National Museum". At that time, the organization and exhibitions of the museum were insignificant compared to what exists today. However, it played an important role in restoring the nation's ruined cultural pride and correcting the misleading historical images of Korea.

On October 28, 2005, the National Museum of Korea reopened in its new permanent home in Yongsan, on a site of 307.227 square meters. Yongsan, the geographical center of Seoul, is supported by the vast Namsan Mountain and in front by the Hangan (Han River). Yongsan is also Seoul's true cultural center, located just south of the five Joseon palaces and War Memorial, and north of the National Library and Seoul Arts Center.

The basic idea of the museum is to present the spirit of traditional Korean architecture in a modern way. An open square connects the two main wings of the museum, making them look like one large building. The open square is designed to be reminiscent of the maru (wooden floor), a unique architectural element of Korea. With the mountains in the background, the river water in the foreground are important aspects of the Korean landscape. Like yin and yang, mountains and water coexist as elements of harmony and balance. Together, they create prosperity and stability.

The museum is divided into three floors. Symbolically, the left side of the museum is said to represent the past, while the right side of the museum represents the future. The ground floor has a park, native gardens, a collection of pagodas, island towers, lanterns and inscriptions. (including the No. 2 National Treasure of Korea, the Great Bell of Bosingak – the typical bell of Joseon Dynasty Korea).

The first floor is the Prehistoric and Ancient History Gallery, which houses about 4,500 artifacts from the Paleolithic period to the unified Silla era excavated from sites across Korea. Nine galleries display artifacts ranging from chipped stone hands to ancient royal jewelry, the relics displayed here show the long journey of early settlers first on the Peninsula.

The second floor houses the Donation Gallery and the Calligraphy and Painting Gallery, which houses 890 artworks that showcase Korean traditional and religious art in lines and colors.

The third floor houses the Sculpture and Crafts Gallery, with 630 pieces representing Korean Buddhist sculptures and crafts. Highlights of the gallery include Goryeo Celadon pottery, and the 83rd National Treasure of Korea - Bangasayusang (Contemplative Bodhisattva). Also on the third floor is the Asian Art Gallery, which houses 970 works that explore the similarities and differences of Asian art and the influence of Asian and Western art through the Silk Road.

With more than 310,000 works in its collection and about 15,000 works on display at once, spread over three floors and within the museum space, the National Museum of Korea is the sixth largest museum in the world in terms of area. floor area, currently has a total area of 295,551 square meters. To protect the artifacts inside, the main building was built to withstand earthquakes up to 6.0 on the Richter scale. The display cases are equipped with a shock-resistant base. In addition, there is also an imported natural lighting system that uses sunlight instead of artificial light and a specially designed air-conditioning system.

The National Museum of Korea, in addition to acting as a window to the past and present, also aspires to be a catalyst for dialogues between regions, countries, cultures and cultures. art. With the goal of stimulating communication, the museum wants to help Korean people open their minds and perspectives to see the world empathically, without prejudice, and inspire creativity.

Address: 137 Seobinggo-ro, Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan-gu

Opening hours: - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday & public holidays: 10:00 - 18:00

- Wednesday & Saturday: 10:00 - 21:00

Admission: free for Main Exhibition Area and Children's Museum