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National Museum of Korea
Yongsan-guAbout
With over 220,000 pieces in its collection, (though just 13,000 items are on display in Jan 2010), you could spend hours exploring this place. Included in the collections are Buddhist sculptures, metal works, and ceramics, located on the third-floor Fine Arts Gallery II. Art from Indonesia, central Asia, Japan, and China along with Nangnang remains are in the Asian Arts gallery on the same floor. The second floor houses calligraphy, paintings, and wooden crafts in the Fine Arts Galley I and donations from private collections in the Donation Gallery. The first floor has relics dating from Paleolithic to the Three Kingdoms period in the Archeological Gallery. Also on this floor are items from Unified Silla, Balhae, Goryeo, and Joseon periods, such as maps, prints, and important documents in the Historical Gallery. The National Museum is also home to a Children's Museum which styles its exhibits around the theme "An Exciting Journey to the Past" broken down into four areas: Homes, Farming, Music, and War. Visitors can see how people lived, what people ate, and the tools they used to grow the food. Children can touch and play instruments used in rituals and even try on steel armor. Tip: Free 1-hour, English-language tours of the main museum are offered Tue-Sun at 10:30am and 2:30pm. Meet in front of the information desk. Audio guides are available for W1,000 and digital PDA guides are available for W3,000. Reserve a rental online at least a day before your visit, otherwise it's on a first-come, first-served basis.
