MMCA to open its fifth branch in Daejeon in first half of 2026

Arts & Design

Published: 06 Apr. 2022, 17:56

MMCA to open its fifth branch in Daejeon in first half of 2026

Youn Bum-mo, director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, announced his plans for the next three years in a press conference at the museum's Seoul branch in Jongno District, central Seoul on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) will open its fifth branch in Daejeon in the first half of 2026, the museum said Wednesday.

The national museum’s director Youn Bum-mo announced his visions for the next three years, after being reappointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in late February. Youn has been director of the MMCA since 2019.

Plans for the project are currently being mapped out and construction is set to start in 2023. The new branch will be built on the grounds of the former main building of the Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government in Daejeon, which was built in 1932.

The MMCA currently has four branches: two in Seoul and one each in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi and Cheongju, North Chungcheong.

The Daejeon branch will also act as a storage space for the MMCA’s artworks in addition to the Cheongju branch. Youn said it will be like an "art hospital" for artworks as the museum is researching ways to use big data and artificial intelligence to preserve pieces.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]