The Art Museum in Seoul sounds like a place for just artistic types of people. Actually, thatโs not true. A soul should just possess eyes of heart to see artworks as theyโre speaking; see the pieces as a source of communication. It motivates, inspires, and fuels the brains of individuals.
Art is not the possession of the few who are recognized writers, painters, musicians; it is the authentic expression of any and all individuality.
John Dewey
An Introduction to Museum
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is the first art museum established in South Korea, in 1969. The location of the major branch of MMCA is in Gwacheon city. While the other branches of this Korean museum are in Seoul, Deoksugung, and Cheongju.
But Wait!
The government established the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul on 13th November 2013. One of the major reasons for MMCA, Seoul to be well- renowned is its public-friendly location, as it is the chief city of South Korea. The inside and outside of the building have plotted effectively and are worth admiring for tourists.
In 2019, Youn Bummo, declared to be the new director of The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
The collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Seoul includes pieces of cubism, fauvism, expressionism, impressionism, and much more.
The museum comprises various installations, unique collections of art pieces, and scheduled exhibitions of artworks created by a variety of famous artists.
Current Exhibitions
- MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2020: Haegue YangโO2 & H2O (Till 28 Feb 2021): Total artworks are 40 and the artist is Haegue Yang.
- Unflattening (Till November 8, 2020): Total artworks are around 230 and involve over 6 artists.
- Museum for All, Museum for Dogs (Till October 25, 2020)
- MMCA collection Highlights 2020+ (Till April 2021): Total artworks are 28 and it involves the total 22 artists.
Other Facilities Inside The Art Museum
A large space of food court with a variety of meals and snacks on first floor of the building, is a must-go place if you are a foodie!
A โTeraRosa Coffeeโ & โTea House OSOLLUCโ is also there to make you stress-free by a single sip.
Art Zone:
A shop to buy artistsโ artworks is also there on first floor. It comprises 3 zones. Zone for craft artists, a zone with industrial design artworks, and a zone with collections of textile fashion products.
Multi Project Hall:
On the first basement floor is a multi-project hall, a hall covering a large space. The hall showcases different visual, conceptual, and performing arts.
MMCA Film and Video:
An auditorium with 122 seats and a large screen is there for the visitors to watch videos and films relevant to art works.
Branches of MMCA
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art includes 4 branches.
First โ MMCA, Seoul (Museum in a city)
Second โ MMCA, Deoksugung (Museum in a Historic Palace)
Third โ MMCA, Gwacheon (Museum in Nature)
Fourth โ MMCA, Cheongju (Museum in the national art conservation centre)
The two branches, Seoul and Deoksugung are on a walking distance of 260m to each other.
Gwacheon branch is located in Gwacheon city, a city close to Seoul, while the Cheongju branch is located in Cheongju city, 112 km away from Seoul.
Guide to This Trip
The exact location of The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, is 30 Samcheong-ro, Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The surrounding area of MMCA,Seoul itself is quite a beautiful place. The museum architecture is designed in a modern way, same as the name of museum sounds like, and would make you eagerly willing to step inside right away.
Admission & Closing Days
The admission fee is KWR 4000($3). Entry is free for people under 24 and above 65, for ICOM card holders, for disabled people, and for teachers in charge of students.
Whereas the ticket for exhibitions and art shuttle bus is free. Shuttle bus runs 4 times/ day.
The route of Shuttle bus is:
- SEOUL > DEOKSUGUNG > GWACHEON
- GWACHEON > DEOKSUGUNG > SEOUL
The Museum is closed on the following days:
- Korean Thanksgiving Day.
- Lunar New yearโs day.
- New Yearโs Day.
Timing & Subway Lines
The opening hours of MMCA, Seoul are 10am-6pm (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) & 10am-9pm (Wed & Sat).
To get here, the best option is subway!
- Subway line number 3, Anguk Station, Exit 1 (on 14 minutes of walking distance)
- Subway line number 5, Gwanghwamun station, Exit 2 (on 17 minutes of walking distance)
Tips for the Trip to Art Museum
1. On visiting MMCA, Seoul, instead of visiting the nearby museums through shuttle bus, get a bicycle on rent. Cycle & stop wherever you want. It will make you enjoy it better than sitting in a bus and watching the far away things outside through the window.
2. If you canโt pay for admission, visit on the last Wednesday of the month. You wonโt have to pay even a single penny, as the government has declared it โthe culture dayโ.
3. Make pictures of the beautiful pieces of artwork using your camera or phone within a limit. Focus more on understanding and enjoying the pieces of exhibitions.
4. Visit the museum between the timings of less traffic of people. So youโll enjoy everything peacefully.
5. Write a journal on returning from the art museum about each and everything. This will definitely make you feel happy when you read it after a long time.
6. Keep snacks and a water bottle with you, as you might find snacks costly in the food court of the museum.
