National Museum of Korea

National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea was established in 1945, and before the completion of its new building, it essentially had no dedicated facility of its own. It was relocated multiple times to sites such as the former Governor-General of Korea Building, Deoksugung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the former Central Government Complex. In October 2005, the new building in Yongsan Family Park was completed, covering an area of 137,201 square meters, making it the sixth largest museum in the world by floor space and one of the most prominent museums globally.

The National Museum of Korea houses a collection of over 220,000 works of art. Its six permanent exhibition halls—the Archaeological Gallery, Historical Gallery, Fine Arts Gallery I, Fine Arts Gallery II, and Asian Art Gallery—allow for the display of up to 13,000 pieces at once. These artifacts, including handicrafts, metalwork, ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings, span a comprehensive range that chronicles Korean history from prehistoric times through the Goryeo Dynasty, Baekje Kingdom, Gaya Confederacy, and into newer eras. Like an unfolding scroll, they vividly illustrate five thousand years of Korean heritage, culture, and traditions.

National Museum of Korea

Must-visit reason: Korea’s most important museum

Continent: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region: Korea[Korea]

Province/State: Seoul Special City [Seoul Special City]

City: Yongsan-gu [Yongsan-gu]