National Museum of Korea logs 100 million visitors since 1945, including 6 million this year
Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 20:53
![Visitors are seen at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 17. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/26fa7528-f816-4a72-909c-b3a61397d240.jpg)
Visitors are seen at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 17. [YONHAP]
The National Museum of Korea has surpassed 100 million cumulative visitors since its opening in 1945. This year, the museum is also on track to exceed 6 million annual visitors for the first time.
On Wednesday, the museum announced that the total number of visitors over its full 80-year history had reached 100,669,308 as of its anniversary. The museum first opened on Dec. 3, 1945, after taking over the former Government-General Museum of Chosen building under Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945), with about 4,500 visitors in its first month. As of Nov. 30, the museum had recorded 5,814,265 visitors this year — roughly 46 times more than the 124,828 visitors across four branches in 1946, the first year annual figures were compiled.
The number of artifacts in the museum’s collection has also grown, from 46,882 in 1945 to 438,366 today — a nearly 9.4-fold increase. This expansion was driven by active acquisitions and a significant rise in both the volume and quality of cultural asset donations. Notably, in 2021, the museum received 21,639 pieces from the 9,797 donations made by the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.
The museum began in a 6,916-square-meter (1.7 acres) space within Gyeongbok Palace and later moved to Seokjojeon Hall in Deoksu Palace in 1955, then to what is now the National Folk Museum of Korea in 1972 and then the former Central Government Complex in 1986. It settled in its current Yongsan location in 2005. The site has since expanded to 146,754.88 square meters — approximately 21 times its original size.
The Yongsan move marked a major turning point. The museum welcomed over 3 million annual visitors for the first time in 2006, briefly saw a decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, then surpassed 4 million in 2023. It crossed the 5 million mark on Oct. 15 this year.
“We are now drawing around 15,000 weekday visitors and 25,000 on weekends, making a 6 million milestone likely next week,” said a museum official.
![The National Museum of Korea when it opened for the first time in 1945, after taking over the building of the Government-General Museum of Chosen [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/cd4b5bfd-d997-4732-a72e-ce3e9d651688.jpg)
The National Museum of Korea when it opened for the first time in 1945, after taking over the building of the Government-General Museum of Chosen [NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA]
![The National Museum of Korea, located in Yongsan District, central Seoul [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/9238f841-9590-4b09-9df7-364a12078f43.jpg)
The National Museum of Korea, located in Yongsan District, central Seoul [JOONGANG ILBO]
The museum’s regional branches have also shown strong growth. From January to November this year, the Gyeongju branch attracted 1,759,476 visitors, followed by Buyeo with 885,168 and Gongju with 810,088 — totaling 13,419,800 visitors.
As the museum celebrates its 80th anniversary, it also faces new challenges. Only about 4.1 percent — roughly 18,000 items — of the museum’s 438,000 artifacts are currently on display, highlighting the need for expanded exhibition space. The museum also plans to improve visitor amenities, prepare for a growing number of international guests, and pursue innovation through new technologies such as AI.
“Over the past 80 years, the National Museum of Korea has safeguarded the origins of Korean culture, rediscovered its value and shared it with the public and the world,” said Director You Hong-june. “We will continue our journey as the heart of Korean culture, preparing for the next 100 years.”
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 KANG HYE-RAN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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