National Gwangju Museum

National Gwangju Museum

The National Gwangju Museum collects and preserves the cultural heritage of South Jeolla Province. It is divided into seven exhibition halls based on time periods and categories. In the Prehistory Hall, you can view relics from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, and early Iron Ages excavated in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province. The Proto–Three Kingdoms and Three Kingdoms Halls display various earthenware and ironware funerary objects found in large jar coffins unearthed in South Jeolla Province; the Buddhist Art Hall showcases cultural heritage related to Buddhism, and the Painting Hall features works by artists who were active during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) and in the modern Honam region. South Jeolla Province has been the birthplace of Korean ceramics since ancient times. To witness the evolution from Goryeo celadon to punch’ong and white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty, visit the Goryeo Celadon Hall, where you can also observe the ceramic production process. In the Joseon Punch’ong and White Porcelain Hall, you can admire white porcelain from the Joseon Dynasty. The Shinan Shipwreck Relics Hall is a unique attraction, exhibiting artifacts recovered from a merchant ship that sank over 600 years ago and was discovered in the waters off Shinan. These precious relics were salvaged over 11 dives between 1976 and 1984, taking a total of seven years. The shipwreck contained 20,681 items including ceramics, metalwork, stoneware, woodwork, and glassware. To come face to face with these historical artifacts that have endured centuries, visit the National Gwangju Museum. The museum offers free admission on the first Sunday of every month, so if your trip to Gwangju happens to be in the first week of the month, don’t miss this attractive opportunity.

Transportation – Take bus no. 16, 19, 26, 35, 55, or 114 from Gwangju Station or the Express Bus Terminal to the National Gwangju Museum stop, a journey of about 10 minutes. *Train station pick-up point: 100–200 meters west toward Seogwangju IC, at the Gwangcheon Police Substation. *Express bus terminal pick-up point: 5 meters to the right of the terminal. – By taxi from Gwangju Station or the express bus terminal, it takes about 10–20 minutes.

Details 1. Phone: +82-62-570-7000 (Korean, Japanese) 2. Website: http://gwangju.museum.go.kr (Korean) 3. Opening Hours: 09:00–18:00 (ticket sales stop one hour before closing) *Weekends and holidays: 09:00–19:00 4. Closed: January 1st, every Monday 5. Admission: - Ages 25–64: KRW 400 - Ages 19–24: KRW 200 - Free admission for visitors wearing hanbok during Chuseok, Lunar New Year, and public holidays 6. Other Facilities: Parking lot, lecture hall, souvenir shop (free parking)

Location: 83-3 Maegok-dong, Buk District, Gwangju City. Ticket Price: 400

Opening Hours: 09:00–18:00

South Korea, Busan