One of the places included in my sightseeing route of the South Korean capital was the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The exhibition space is located near the city's popular tourist spots, and entrance to the grounds is quite inexpensive — a little over a dollar. I think it's a great place even for a budget traveler.
Walking through the museum
The Seoul exhibition space is just one of the branches of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Similar exhibitions are open in other South Korean cities — Gwacheon and Cheongju. Several more halls with artworks from the museum's collection are located in Deoksugung Palace.
The collection of museum exhibits began in 1969, and the Seoul branch itself was opened in 2013. Interestingly, the exhibition spaces in Gwacheon and Deoksugung Palace were created earlier, in the 1980s–90s.
The museum collection includes more than 11,000 exhibits. Here, in the Seoul branch, guests can see only a small fraction of them. They say online that there are eight exhibition halls here. I didn't count them myself.
The museum complex is located in a historic district of the city — in the past, various government institutions and the royal library were located here. Later, the future museum building housed the Main Military Hospital and defense institutions.
The museum's information board states that the entire exhibition is divided into two parts: the first gallery is dedicated to artworks from the 1960s–1980s. In the second part of the exhibition space, you can see exhibits from the 1990s–2010s.
How to get there by subway
During my two trips to Seoul, Google Maps did not work in the city. You can map your route, for example, using the Naver app. There, the museum is listed as the National Museum Of Modern And Contemporary Art, Seoul.
The subway stations closest to the museum are Gyeongbokgung and Anguk. You can walk here from them in about 15 minutes.
In February 2026, entrance to the museum grounds costs 2,000 won (1.4 dollars). If more than three exhibitions are open, the price increases to 5,000 won. You can pay for the visit in cash or with bank cards. The exhibition space is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the museum is open until 9:00 PM.
After visiting the museum, you can walk to Gyeongbokgung Palace or head out for a stroll through the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village.
Happy travels!
