The Life History Museum reproduced the life scenes of Incheon Jung-gu in the 1960s and 1970s. It is a hidden gem in Incheon Open Port Area where you can vividly experience the past of Korea. It offers good insights and informative content about the everyday life of Incheon citizens in the 1960s and 1970s. Letโs discover what you can explore inside this surreal museum!
Getting There
First and foremost, hop on a subway headed to Incheon Station (Line 1 or Suin Line) and make your way out of exit 1. Then, take an 8-minute walk to Daebul Hotel. The Life History Museum can be accessed from the back door on the first floor of the Daebul Hotel Exhibition Hall. If you follow the guided path, you will be greeted by the entrance door on the basement floor of the Life History Museum.
Address: 101 Sinpo-ro, 23 beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon
Admission Fees and Operating Hours
| Category | Price |
| Adults | 1000 won |
| Teenagers (Middle to high school age) | 700 won |
| Children | Free |
If you purchase a ticket to the Daebul Hotel Exhibition Hall, then you are also granted the access to Jung-gu Life History Museum as well.
Operation Hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Closed on Mondays)
Note that the last admission is at 5:30 pm. If any public holiday falls on Monday, then the exhibition hall will be closed on the next day.
Life History Museum at a Glance
The Life History Exhibition Hall consists of three floors: the basement level, the first floor and the second floor. Each floor has different exhibitions with various intriguing themes.
As soon as you enter the basement floor of the museum, you will be welcomed by a subway model of Line 1. Also, you can see a chronological timeline showing the history of Jung-gu, Incheon at a glance, from 1968, when Jung-gu, Incheon was founded.
Moving to the first floor, the life history of Jung-gu in the 1960s and 1970s is divided into relational, ceremonial, and main culture. Some of the spaces also sell specialty snacks and cultural products. Besides, you can rent retro costumes such as retro school uniforms, wedding dresses and tuxedos and take a commemorative photo at the photo studio.
Look at the varieties of costumes for you to choose from!
Barbershops, briquettes, classic cameras, and payphones, with the sentiment of the 1960s and 1970s, create a friendly atmosphere and experience.
Look at the old hairdryer, trimmer and scissors!
This is the public phone used in the past.
The streets that recreate the residential environment, such as kitchens and rooms of those days, and market alleys also stimulate nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s.
On the second floor, you can experience the culture of the 1960s and 1970s at the tavern, theater, and coffee shop. The vinyl albums fill the wall like a coffee shop from those days when music was played on vinyl. The theater has reproduced and displays posters of popular movies and ticket box offices from the 1970s. Back then, the movie ticket price for adult was only 200 won, teenagers 150 won and children 100 won.
The most fascinating thing is you can even watch movies from the 70s while sitting on a wooden bench just like how people did in the past! It feels as if I have travelled back to the past.
Final Thoughts
There are just so many interesting things to see in this museum! The exhibits in the museum will distract you for around 30 to 45 minutes. I was extremely amazed by the little details and small exhibitions that were being displayed inside the museum. While visiting the museum, you can experience Incheon as it was when it started prospering 100 years ago. If you are into history, this will be a great visit to gain some understanding of Incheonโs culture and lifestyle.
Click here to read about Incheon Art Platform which is just one street away from the museum!
