Seoul to open nine new museums over next three years

Nine new museums based on various themes including hansik, or traditional Korean cuisine, and robots will be newly built in the Korean capital over the next three years, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday.

As part of efforts to become a globally renowned culture hub and ensure equal access for all Seoul citizens to cultural infrastructure, the city’s government office said in a press release that most of the new public museums will be built outside the downtown area and reflect Seoul citizens’ “diversified interest fields.”

By doing so, the city government said it hopes to narrow the “cultural gap” between Seoul citizens and upgrade the capital’s “cultural standard.”

The nation’s first public museum solely dedicated to illustrating the history of Korean photography will open in Dobong District, northern Seoul, in 2023, according to the city’s plan. An art museum will be built in Geumcheon District, western Seoul, in the same year as well, marking the first time that a public art museum will be established in Seoul’s southwestern area.

Next year, a hansik cultural exhibition center will be created near Samcheonggak, a popular mountainside hansik restaurant and coffee shop in Seongbuk District, central Seoul.

Other museums planned to open in the coming years include one about robots and science, and another exhibition center displaying the historical remains of the Fortress Wall of Seoul.

Seoul said the nine projects will be part of an ongoing initiative to build more museums in the city, which kicked off in 2015 with a budget of about 340 billion won ($280.5 million). Five museums have been built since then, including the Seoul Urban Life Museum in Nowon District, northern Seoul, and the Seoul Museum of Korean Folk Music in Jongno District, central Seoul.

In all, Seoul currently has about 175 museums, which Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Sunday were fewer than other major cities around the world.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]