Bridging Cultural Divide: National Museum’s Touring Exhibitions Promote Inclusion and Heritage Appreciation

Cultural Divide Overcome! National Central Museum Provides Diverse Cultural Experiences through Regional Touring Exhibitions

The National Central Museum has announced its plans for 2024 to support cultural inclusion in marginalized areas and enhance domestic and international exhibitions. As part of their efforts to bridge the cultural gap and mitigate the risk of population decline, the museum will organize touring exhibitions in at-risk areas.

Efforts to Lower the Threshold for Cultural Participation

In 2024, the National Central Museum aims to make it a milestone year for increasing accessibility and cultural participation by utilizing cultural content collections. They have set three strategic goals: ‘Museum with Life,’ ‘Museum Leading the Future,’ and ‘Museum Going Global.’

Based on these goals, the museum has planned various exhibitions and initiatives, including:

• A touring exhibition to address the population decline in at-risk areas
• Service improvements for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
• Public display of a replica of the Gwanggaeto the Great’s Tombstone from the Goguryeo period
• Expansion of educational programs for museum professionals
• Investigation and research of Goguryeo artifacts in Hwanghae Province

Building upon the success of welcoming 10 million visitors last year, the National Central Museum aspires to further develop and contribute to cultural understanding and heritage appreciation.

Touring Exhibitions for Cultural Divide Resolution

The National Central Museum plans to hold multiple touring exhibitions to address the cultural divide in areas at risk of population decline. The ‘Museum for All, Touring Exhibition’ will showcase significant cultural heritage, including the Golden Crown, Gima Horse, Sanggam Celadon, and White Porcelain Moon Jar.

In addition, special exhibitions featuring donated items by former Chairman Lee Geon-hee will be held at Jeju Museum and Chuncheon Museum, allowing visitors to experience the cultural significance of these artifacts.

Enhanced Services for People with Disabilities

The National Central Museum is dedicated to strengthening services for people with disabilities. They will create a dedicated exhibition space for metal craft experiences within the sculpture gallery, providing tailored services for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the museum lobby, known as 으뜸홀로, will be transformed into a space that supports disabled individuals, offering universal design lounges and sign language interpretation services.

Highlight Exhibitions

As part of their efforts to introduce diverse cultures, the National Central Museum will present the following new exhibitions:

• ‘Islamic Room’ showcasing Islamic art from the Qatar Islamic Art Museum
• Special exhibition on Goryeo celadon and national treasures
• Collaborative exhibitions with the Denver Museum on “North American Indian History and Culture” and with the Leopold Museum in Austria on “The Birth of Viennese Modernism”
• East Asian ceramics special exhibition, featuring artifacts from Korea, Japan, and China, titled ‘Eastern Asia’s Ceramics’

The National Central Museum will continue its efforts to promote Korean culture internationally by planning overseas special exhibitions in renowned institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago.

Future Expansion Plans

The National Central Museum aims to expand the Children’s Museum from 2529㎡ to 8000㎡ by 2028. This expansion will enable the museum to offer more exhibitions and educational programs for children.

The National Central Museum is committed to providing diverse cultural experiences, bridging the cultural divide, and enhancing understanding of Korean history and cultural heritage through these initiatives and exhibitions.