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.
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!
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.
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!
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.