Culture - Korea travel information

Ewha Womans University Museum (이화여자대학교박물관)

Ewha Womans University Museum (이화여자대학교박물관)

2022-09-14

52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3277-3152

The Ewha Womans University Museum was established in 1935 with the goal of preserving the cultural heritage of Korea. Originally, items related to folk art, traditional woodwork, and pottery were put on display in the hall of the main university to keep them from being confiscated during the Japanese occupation. This later led to the opening of the museum to display and store the growing collection.

Regular exhibitions of the museum’s collection have been taking place annually from 1972. Since 1996, the museum also held special exhibitions that focus on other themes related to cultural heritage. Additional small-scale exhibitions are also held frequently to promote Korea's traditional culture and art.

A ceramics research facility as well as a more traditional museum, a large portion of the museum’s efforts is focused on the research and excavation of kilns. To this aim, excavation teams from the museum have traveled to various parts of the country to conduct studies on historic sites and assess the value of artifacts. Through the publication of books and reports on its discoveries, the museum has contributed to raising knowledge and awareness of Korean cultural heritage in academia and among the public.

Gwangju Museum of Art (광주시립미술관)

Gwangju Museum of Art (광주시립미술관)

2022-09-02

52, Haseo-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-613-7100

The Gwangju Museum of Art was founded on August 1, 1992, to promote local artists. In 1996, it served as the venue for the Gwangju Biennale. The museum holds over 560 works, including those from Heo Baekryeon, Oh Jiho, Yang Su-ah, and Im Jik-sun, all local artists. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum also has special planned exhibitions and other cultural programs.

King Sejong The Great Museum (세종대왕박물관)

King Sejong The Great Museum (세종대왕박물관)

2024-03-08

56, Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-969-8851

King Sejong The Great Museum is a cultural complex located in the heart of Seoul, near Gwanghwamun Plaza.The Hangeul Room exhibits documents published during the reign of King Sejong, the Science Room displays Cheugugi and celestial planisphere, and the Korean Traditional Music Room showcases various traditional Korean musical instruments. The Biography Room features Portrait of King Sejong and paintings depicting scenes from his life. Outdoors, there are statues of King Sejong, the  scahe sundial, the clepsydra, and Cheugugi.

Incheon Culture and Arts Center (인천문화예술회관)

Incheon Culture and Arts Center (인천문화예술회관)

2024-03-15

149 Yesul-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon
+82-32-427-8401

Incheon Culture and Arts Center is a dedicated cultural performance facility located within the Incheon Jungang Park. It features a Grand Concert Hall, a Small Concert Hall, and an Outdoor Concert Hall. The venue hosts events by the Incheon City Art Company, as well as various concerts, performances, exhibitions, and cultural events held in Incheon. Outdoor concerts and busking performances are also occasionally held at the outdoor stage.

Jangsaengpo Whale Museum (장생포 고래박물관)

Jangsaengpo Whale Museum (장생포 고래박물관)

2021-03-23

244, Jangsaengpogorae-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan
+82-52-256-6301

The Jangsaengpo Whale Museum opened on May 31, 2005 is the first and only whale museum in Korea and stands on what used to be a central area for the Korean whaling industry. After whaling was banned in 1986, 250 artifacts from whalers and the whaling industry were collected and put on display. Visitors can enjoy experience zones such as the Whale Belly Road or the Underwater Adventure Zone. Exhibitions include things like a Bryde's whale skeleton, a killer whale skeleton, a gray whale corner, and whaling ships.

Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall (이효석 문학관)

Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall (이효석 문학관)

2021-08-11

73-25, Hyoseongmunhak-gil, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-330-2700

Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall was opened on September 7, 2002 during the Hyoseok Cultural Festival to celebrate the literary contributions and display artifacts from the life of Lee Hyoseok (pen name Gasan). Many of the artifacts on display came from the Gasan Literature Group but some items were also donated from the children of Lee Hyoseok to commemorate the passing of their father.

Railroad Museum (철도박물관)

Railroad Museum (철도박물관)

2019-03-18

142 Cheoldobangmulgwan-ro, Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-461-3610

The museum features various materials and items like artifacts and vehicles from the over 100 years of railroad history in Korea, which started with the first miracle on September 18, 1899. The first floor houses a history hall and an exhibit devoted to items from railroad vehicles. The second floor focuses on electronics, communications, facilities and architecture, and items related to the transportation industry. The first floor also has a Railroad Model Panorama Room, which features replicas of the various trains that have traversed the Korean countryside, right from the first steam engine until the KTX. There's also an outdoor exhibit area featuring a real steam engine train, a presidential train, as well as passenger and cargo trains. The presidential train was introduced in May of 2015 for guests to enjoy.

Petite Joongang Family Museum (작은 중앙가족박물관(한방개인박물관))

Petite Joongang Family Museum (작은 중앙가족박물관(한방개인박물관))

2021-12-20

50-5, Jungang-daero 77-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu
+82-53-252-6606

Petite Joongang Family Museum is a family-owned museum that showcases the antiquities of Oriental medicine, as practiced by a local family for three generations over 90 years in the city of Daegu, a city known for its 350-year-old medicinal herb market. The tools used by the family including scales, medicine bowls, prescriptions and manuscripts of traditional medicine tell the history of Oriental medicine in Korea as well as the family's dedication to treatment using the traditional herbal medicine practice. The museum serves its visitors with healthy Oriental medicine tea, while the living family members offer free medical consultation.

Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art (영은미술관)

2021-02-10

300, Cheongseok-ro, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-761-0137

Youngeun Museum was established in November 2000 in the natural forests of Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do. The museum is largely composed of two sections: an art museum and a studio.

Youngeun Museum is considered a museum of contemporary art as it focuses on the research, preservation, and exhibition of modern art works. It is the first museum of its kind to also operate studio space for artists and has consequently received praise in the art world as a forward-thinking museum.

Thanks to the museum’s focus on creating new works of art, the museum has become a gathering place where artists, writers, critics, and the general public can interact with one another and appreciate the art-making process.

Visitors can engage in various forms of art at the Youngeun Museum, ranging from plastic arts to performing arts. There are also educational programs that allow guests to watch or even experience how art is made. By providing these innovative programs, Youngeun Museum aims to spread art among the masses.

Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul Arts Center (예술의전당 한가람미술관)

2022-12-16

2406, Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
+82-2-580-1300

Hangaram Art Museum, located in the left wing of the Seoul Arts Center, displays a unique exhibition of formative arts. Established in 1990, the museum has a total area of 15,540 ㎡ and contains 6 exhibition halls (including one for oversized artwork), a storage area, and an art shop. The building features a lighting system that controls the humidity and temperature and is equipped with a luminous ceiling system that captures natural sunlight and feeds it into the museum, allowing visitors to enjoy a brightly lit viewing area.

The Art Square in front of the museum houses a wide range of exclusive artwork and serves as a venue for various events such as the Cloz Art Market. Visitors may also enjoy the open-air café right in front of the building or dine at “Yehyang,” a traditional Korean restaurant right down the stairs.