Photos of Museums of Korean History and Culture, Korea

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Museums of Korean History and Culture

There are many museums all over the country, where one can experience Korea’s rich culture and history, using ancient objects and life-size displays of traditional life and ceremonies. The National Folk Museum of Korea, within the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people, covering from prehistoric times to the end of the Joseon Dynasty in 1910. Among others, a traditional Korean wedding and the “Hwangap” 60th birthday celebration are illustrated with life-size mannequins. Similar displays are found in Andong’s Folklore Museum.

School class display
 
Wedding ceremony display
 
60th Birthday celebration display
 
The “turtle ship”
 
Golden Buddha statues
 
Dog shaped bedpan
 
Incense Burner of Baekje
 
Display of the court
 
Display of moveable type
 
Display printing the Jikji
 
Making of the brass letters
 
Display printing the Jikji
 
First Birthday display
 
Coming of Age display
 
Anbang ceremony display
 
Korean wedding display
 
Korean wedding display
 
Joseon life display
 
Joseon life display
 
Children building, Gyeongju Museum
 
Temple bell, Gyeongju Museum
 
Computer information, Gyeongju Museum
 
Jigsaw puzzle, Gyeongju Museum
 
Bell of King Seongdeok
 
Golden Silla Crown
 
Golden Silla items
 
Golden ornament
 
Seobongchong Crown
 
Silla jeweled sword
 
School class, museum
 
Model of Gyeongju
 
King Gyeongsun's portrait
 
Hwangap celebration
 
Shamanist ceremony
 
Display of “Haenyeo”
 
Display of diving platform
 

The Baekje Kingdom (18 BCE – 660 CE) comes to life in the museums of Gongju and Buyeo, while the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE – 935 CE) is celebrated in Gyeongju National Museum. The younger generation also discovers it with many “hands-on” experiences: building models, computer displays, puzzles and much more in the museum’s children’s section. And the Early Printing Museum in Cheongju brings to life the process of the manufacture of the Jikji, a Korean Buddhist document printed during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1377, the world’s oldest extant book printed with movable metal type.

Jeju island, south of Korea’s mainland, is famous for its “Haenyeo”, woman divers of Jeju. Their way of life is displayed in Jeju’s Folklore and Natural History Museum and the Haenyeo museum dedicated exclusively to this unique aspect of the island.