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Gyeongju museum sets entry cap as Silla-era crown exhibit draws huge crowds

Published: 03 Nov. 2025, 12:57 Updated: 03 Nov. 2025, 14:46

The Gyeongju National Museum in North Gyeongsang is showcasing the ″Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige″ exhibition, displaying 20 artifacts, including six gold crowns and gold belts. [GYEONGJU NATIONAL MUSEUM]

A rare gathering of all six surviving gold crowns from the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) has drawn such overwhelming crowds to the Gyeongju National Museum in North Gyeongsang that daily attendance is now being capped to ensure visitor safety and comfort.

The museum announced on its website and social media accounts Monday that attendance would be limited to 2,550 people per weekday, with a maximum of 150 visitors per viewing session.

Titled “Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige,” the exhibition at the museum’s Silla History Exhibition Hall features 20 artifacts, including the six gold crowns and gold belts — symbols of royal authority and splendor. This is the first time the six crowns have been reunited since the discovery of the first one more than a century ago in 1921.

The collection includes seven National Treasures and seven Treasures, offering a rare and concentrated look into Silla’s opulent golden culture. Among the highlights is the original gold crown from the Silla-era Cheonmachong tomb, a replica of which was recently gifted by President Lee Jae Myung to U.S. President Donald Trump during a summit.

Visitors wait in line to enter the ″Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige″ exhibition in North Gyeongsang on Nov. 2. [YONHAP]

Organized to mark the museum's 80th anniversary and coinciding with the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, the exhibition has drawn long lines of visitors since its opening day. According to the museum, some visitors arrived as early as 4 a.m., and lines began forming well before the doors opened at 10 a.m.

Despite separating the flow of visitors between the permanent and special exhibitions, the museum had to begin distributing numbered tickets on site due to the surge in attendance.

The museum said it will continue to limit attendance until the exhibition closes on Dec. 14. Entry tickets will be distributed on-site starting at 9:20 a.m., with 17 viewing sessions held on weekdays and 23 on weekends. Visitors are admitted in 30-minute intervals at designated times.

“We decided to restrict visitor numbers to ensure safety and provide a comfortable viewing environment inside the exhibition hall,” the museum said in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]