The National Museum of KoreaPhoto: Jinah78 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (edited)
Seoul's Best Museums
Seoul's big national museums are excellent, air-conditioned and mostly free — perfect for rainy or scorching days.
- The National Museum of Korea, National Palace Museum and National Folk Museum are free (special exhibitions extra).
- Many museums close on Mondays or keep late hours one evening a week — check before you go.
- Leeum needs a timed booking online.
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1
National Museum of Korea
국립중앙박물관Photo: Jinah78 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (edited) Korea's biggest museum, with gold crowns, celadon and a two-storey stone pagoda indoors. Free, and big enough for a whole rainy day.
Good to know: Free. Ichon Station (Line 4), exit 2.
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2
National Palace Museum of Korea
국립고궁박물관
Photo: AnbyG / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (edited) Royal treasures of the Joseon dynasty — thrones, seals, robes and the royal astronomical clock — right beside Gyeongbokgung. The best way to understand what you've just walked through.
Good to know: Free. Open daily. Next to Gyeongbokgung's main gate; Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), exit 5.
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3
National Folk Museum of Korea
국립민속박물관
Photo: Tristan Surtel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (edited) How ordinary Koreans lived through the year, with a rebuilt 1970s street outside. Inside Gyeongbokgung's grounds.
Good to know: Free. Anguk Station (Line 3), exit 1.
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4
MMCA Seoul
국립현대미술관 서울
Photo: 서울연구원 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (edited) Korea's national modern art museum, in a low building between Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon. Strong contemporary shows.
Good to know: Ticketed for special exhibitions. Anguk Station (Line 3), exit 1.
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5
Leeum Museum of Art
리움미술관
Photo: takato marui / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (edited) Samsung's collection of Korean ceramics and modern art in buildings by three star architects.
Good to know: Timed booking online. Hangangjin Station (Line 6), exit 1.
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6
War Memorial of Korea
전쟁기념관
Photo: Adbar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (edited) A huge museum of Korea's wars, with aircraft and tanks outside. Moving and very thorough.
Good to know: Free. Samgakji Station (Lines 4, 6), exit 12.
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7
Seoul Museum of History
서울역사박물관
Photo: Jjw / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (edited) The story of Seoul from the Joseon capital to today, with a giant scale model of the city.
Good to know: Free. Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), exit 7.
