Museums

National Folk Museum of Korea

The National Folk Museum of Korea can be found in the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. It is worth noting that the museum focus does not relate to Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, which is of a much earlier date. There are three permanent exhibitions. The first is The Beginning of K-Culture, which introduces visitors to various aspects of Korean culture. The second is A Year in Korea, which explains the lives of people during the 19th and 20th centuries and is based around the four seasons. The third is Korean Life Passages, which presents various important parts of Korean life from the Joseon Dynasty to the 20th century, including birth, education, marriage and ancestral rights. The museum also has a number of outdoor exhibitions that introduce places from different time periods that were part of everyday life for the people of South Korea.

National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea is an absolute delight to visit if you want to know more about South Korea's history and development up to the end of the Korean Empire. The museum is set in a lovely open plaza area that has lots of seating and a pond as well as a convenience store and a coffee shop. The National Hangul Museum (currently closed for renovation) is in the same area, and just a short walk away you will find Yongsan Family Park. The main museum space is made up of two areas: a permanent exhibition hall and a special exhibition gallery. The permanent exhibition hall consists of three floors. The first floor houses Korean history galleries that are split by time period from prehistory up to the Korean Empire. The second floor houses donated works and calligraphy and painting, whilst the third floor focuses on world art, sculpture and crafts. There are also immersive digital galleries on the first and second floors.

There are many fascinating items in the museum. Prehistoric hand axes, Bronze Age weapons, patterned roof tiles from the Goguryeo Kingdom and intricate armour from the Gaya period to name just a few. Of particular note are the Uigwe, books that set out the royal protocols in place during the Joseon Dynasty. The Uigwe include details relating to royal ceremonies, rituals and other important state events and are recognised by UNESCO as a Memory of the World, which is a collection of documentary heritage from all over the world that is recognised as having outstanding universal value. The museum also houses regular special exhibitions too. Recent examples include the Culture and Histories of Indigenous People in North America (2024) and Mana Moana, Arts of the Great Ocean, Oceana (2025). Entry to the permanent exhibition hall is free, whilst a fee is payable for entry to any special exhibitions.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul is in the vicinity of several other cultural heritage attractions: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, The Story of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sunshin exhibition, and more. It should definitely not be overlooked as it provides a glimpse of South Korea's recent past.  Its permanent exhibitions consist of a history gallery and an interactive gallery. This history gallery is split into three different time periods. The first focuses on the years 1894 to 1945 and is centred around the themes of freedom, equality and peace. The second explores life after liberation and the Korean War and the third outlines attempts to establish democracy, the changing relationship between north and south and how life has changed in modern times.

The interactive gallery, which takes up a whole floor, recreates scenes from the lives of different generations so visitors can understand more about how lives in South Korea have changed over time. The museum also hosts a number of diverse special exhibitions based around Korean contemporary history. The Performing Arts in Korea Reflect the Times exhibition (2025) in association with the National Theatre of Korea reflected on the origins and changes in Korea's performing arts at different periods of time, whilst the Memory of You (2025) exhibition explored the topic of liberation for the 80th Anniversary of Korea's liberation (2025). If you want to get a better understanding of South Korea and its people today, then the National Museum of Contemporary Korean History is the perfect place to visit as it highlights some of the key events that the country and its people have experienced over the last century or so.

National Museum of Korean Contemporary History

The Tea Museum of Korea is a unique cultural space dedicated to the history and traditions of tea in South Korea and its exhibitions feature over 500 items, including rare tea utensils, tools used in tea processing, and a miniature green tea production line. The museum offers a great educational experience. Visitors can learn about the history of tea in Korea, the stages of growing and processing tea leaves and traditional Korean tea ceremonies. There are thematic exhibition halls covering various aspects of tea culture, souvenirs and tastings which offer a chance to try a range of green tea-infused dishes and beverages. There is also a Boseong Green Tea Festival each year, so do check to see if your museum visit coincides with the festival as visiting them both together offers a rich and immersive experience of Korea's deep-rooted tea heritage set against the stunning backdrop of Boseong's rolling green tea fields.

Tea Museum of Korea