Learning Korea’s History Through Museums

An amazing aspect about South Korea is that the majority of museums are free or very cheap (under 5,000won) to enter. Personally, I find that museums, especially history museums, are a great way to learn about the place or country you are visiting in a short amount of time. While museums are great for anyone who has an afternoon to space, I believe they are essential for students studying abroad, expats, or new immigrants to a country. Museums can teach you things about the history and culture of a place you might otherwise not know.

This is the front view of the War Memorial Museum.

South Korea’s museums offer topics covering: war, culture, country history, city history, contemporary history, language, & more.

Here are all the museums I have visited to date as well as some basic information about them.

SEOUL

War Memorial Museum of Korea

SOUTH KOREA’S NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL & MUSEUM: KOREAN WAR, VIETNAM WAR, ETC.

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 4+ Hours
  • COST: FREE (reservations required in advance due to COVID)
  • WEBSITE: https://www.warmemo.or.kr/front/main.do
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS: 29 Itaewon-ro, Namyeong-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (Easily accessible by subway lines 6, 4, or 1.) 
  • GIFT SHOP: NO
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside
  • CAFE: Yes
  • VENDING MACHINES: Yes
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: Yes
  • FUN FACT: The museum typically welcomes over 3 million visitors a year!

National Museum of Korea

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 4+ Hours
  • COST: FREE (reservations required in advance due to COVID)
  • WEBSITE: https://www.museum.go.kr/site/eng/home
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS: 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04383, Republic of Korea (Easily accessible by subway line 4.) 
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside
  • CAFE: Yes
  • VENDING MACHINES: Yes
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: Yes
  • FUN FACT: The museum has a new digital museum feature which uses animation & video to show visitors history.

National Contemporary History Museum

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 2+ Hours
  • COST: FREE (reservations required in advance due to COVID)
  • WEBSITE: https://www.much.go.kr/en/mainen.do 
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS: 198 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03141 (Easily accessible by subway lines 1, 3 or 5.) 
  • GIFT SHOP: NO
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside
  • CAFE: No
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum is right next to the U.S. Seoul embassy.

National Folk History Museum

Quick Facts: 

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 2+ Hours
  • COST: FREE (reservations required in advance due to COVID)
  • WEBSITE: https://www.nfm.go.kr/english/index.do
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS: 37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03045 (Easily accessible by subway lines 1, 3 or 5.) 
  • GIFT SHOP: YES
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside
  • CAFE: No
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum is right next to Gyeongbukgu Palace, one of the oldest palace’s in South Korea.

National Palace Museum

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 3+ Hours
  • COST: FREE (reservations required in advance due to COVID)
  • WEBSITE: http://www.royalpalace.go.kr:8080/html/eng_gbg/main/main.jsp
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS: 161. Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03045 (Best accessed by subway line 3 or 5.) 
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside 
  • CAFE: Yes
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum is located right near the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace!
This is the front view of the War Memorial Museum.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 2+ Hours
  • COST: 3,000w (Tickets available for purchase at the gate.)
  • WEBSITE:  https://sphh.sscmc.or.kr/_eng/#firstPage
  • PARKING: N/A, best to take public transit
  • ADDRESS:  Seodaemun Prison History Center, 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (Easily accessed via public transit.)
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside
  • CAFE: No
  • VENDING MACHINES: Yes
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FACT: The museum is on the grounds of the actual old prison. There is a memorial park surrounding the museum and memorial hall to the right of the grounds.
This is a side view of the prison building which housed prisoners. The small cutouts were for ventilation and refuse.

Seoul Museum of History

Quick Facts:

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 3+ Hours
  • COST: FREE
  • WEBSITE: https://museum.seoul.go.kr/eng/index.do
  • PARKING: Limited, best to take pubic transportation
  • ADDRESS: 55 Saemunan-ro, Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside 
  • CAFES: Normally yes outside of covid
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum grounds are home to one of the original trolly cars used in Seoul.

JEJU

Osulloc Tea Museum

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 30min-1+ Hours
  • COST: FREE
  • WEBSITE: https://www.osulloc.com/kr/ko/museum
  • PARKING: Plenty or accessible by bus
  • ADDRESS: 15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside 
  • CAFE: Yes
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FACT: This places provides a brief overview of tea history and the Osulloc Tea production on Jeju. Mainly, it is a place to take pictures in the tea field, buy tea, and sample tea drinks/desserts.

Citrus Museum

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 1.5+ Hours
  • COST: 1,000won
  • WEBSITE: https://m.visitjeju.net/en/detail/view?contentsid=CONT_000000000500019
  • PARKING: Plenty or accessible by bus
  • ADDRESS: 441 Hyodonsunhwan-ro, Sinhyo-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do
  • GIFT SHOP: Yes
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside 
  • CAFES: Yes
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum houses citrus plants from around the world!
This image shows the several types of citrus which can be found on the island of Jeju

Jeju Folklore & Natural History Museum

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 2+ Hours
  • COST: 3,000won
  • WEBSITE: http://www.jeju.go.kr/museum/index.htm#
  • PARKING: Plenty or accessible by bus
  • ADDRESS: 40 Samseong-ro, Ildo 2(i)-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
  • GIFT SHOP: No
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside 
  • CAFES: No
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: N/A
  • FUN FACT: The museum explores the history of Jeju Island.

Kim Manduk Museum

  • ESTIMATED VIEWING TIME: 1+ Hours
  • COST: FREE
  • WEBSITE: http://mandukmuseum.or.kr/index.php/eng
  • PARKING: Accessible by bus
  • ADDRESS: 7 Sanji-ro, Jeju City
  • GIFT SHOP: No
  • EXHIBITIONS: Inside & Outside 
  • CAFES: No
  • VENDING MACHINES: No
  • DONATIONS ACCEPTED: Yes
  • FUN FACT: The museum provides an overview of Kim Manduk. She was the first female CEO on Jeju Island and pledged her life to performing charitable deeds.

Lauren Kerr is a college student at the University of Tulsa. She is an ISA Featured Blogger and is studying abroad with ISA in Seoul, South Korea.

Leave a Reply