National Museum of Korea

Brief Information

The building of the National Museum of Korea was constructed specifically for the museum in the form of an elongated ancient Korean fortress. This is an important clue: here, history is shown not only in display cases, but also in the very volume of the building. After its founding in 1945, the museum moved in 2005 to this new complex, designed for large collections, exhibitions, and work with visitors of different ages.

The technical side also changes how one views the architecture. The building is made of materials with a high fire-resistance rating and is designed to withstand an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.0; natural lighting and air conditioning are provided inside. Therefore, the large museum structure should be read not as a neutral shell, but as a protective construction for archaeological, historical, and artistic objects.

What to notice right away

It makes sense to compare several physical features of the complex. The elongated shape of the building refers to an ancient Korean fortress, while the fire-resistant materials and seismic resistance show the museum's modern task: not only to exhibit, but also to preserve. This combination of an old image and modern protection explains why the exterior appearance here is not separate from the museum function.

On the grounds of the complex, more than just the exhibition halls are important. Lecture halls, a children's museum, exhibition pavilions, restaurants, and cafes show that the place was conceived as a cultural center, not as a single building with display cases. The pavilions contain three immersive virtual galleries: painting becomes a panoramic projection, Goguryeo tombs are presented through a virtual tour, and objects from storage are shown through VR, AR, and high-resolution images. In front of the museum, a botanical garden adds another way of reading Korean culture: the plants are provided with labels in Latin and Korean and QR codes.