A Trip to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea

A Trip to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea - The Daebak Company

Are you an art fanatic? Do you want to learn more about Korea through its art and culture? If yes, make sure you check out Korea's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. With four locations across the country, it is undoubtedly an amazing place to add to your "must-see" list when traveling to South Korea.  

Below is a complete Korean travel guide to the museum and its four locations, so keep reading if you want to visit this modern and contemporary art museum!

What is the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea?

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art showcases many of Korea's early modern art pieces, including the art forms of calligraphy and literature. It also incorporates contemporary art elements in addition to early modern art, all while educating visitors on the history and architecture of the art form.

Since its founding in 1969, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art has enriched visitors and residents alike with some of Korea's finest modern and contemporary art pieces. With four different locations, each one with its own unique concentration, they work together to teach their visitors about the history of modern art through exhibitions, research, and other activities.  

Over the years, they have incorporated creative learning experiences for those who wish to immerse themselves in modern art, whether it be experiential activities for kids at their children's museum at MMCA Gwacheon or their film & video and performing arts events. 

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art has many ongoing exhibits, both domestically and internationally, in collaboration with museums around the world. The Space Between: The Modern in Korean Art exhibit is a joint project between MMCA and The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and is set to run through February of 2023 in LA. It includes about 130 pieces ranging from oils to photography. 

Others include the Soungui Kim: Lazy Clouds exhibit, located in Germany in collaboration with the ZKM Center for Art and Media, and Merry Mix: The More, The Better, located in MMCA's Gwacheon museum. 

What is so Special about the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art?

With its locations spanning across South Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is becoming more well-known as one of the country's art hotspots. With A-List visitors including BTS RM, Sunmi, CL, and Got7's Jinyoung, MMCA's popularity is most certainly on the rise.

With its exhibitions taking place both in South Korea and around the world, MMCA continues to successfully share the country's history and culture through modern and contemporary works of art.

Ways to get to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

There are multiple ways to get to each of the museums, whether by subway, bus, train, or even by foot. Here are some of the ways in which you can get to the four MMCA locations.

MMCA Seoul: 

Gyeongbokgung Station (line 3, exit 4).

Gwanghwamun Station (line 5, exit 2). 

Anguk Station (line 3, exit 1).

MMCA Gwacheon:

Seoul Grand Park Station (line 4, exit 2).

Elephant Train

Art Shuttle (Shuttle stop next to Solbaram-tteul)

statues and paintings inside Museum Of Contemporary Art Seoul
@mmcakorea on I​​nstagram

MMCA Deoksugung: 

City Hall Station (line 1 & 2, exit 1).

Seodaemun Station (line 5, exit 5). 

Art Shuttle (Shuttle stop near THE PLAZA Seoul Hotel back gate)

MMCA Cheongju: 

Bus: Express Bus Terminal, Inner-city Bus Terminal, Cheongju Express Northern Stop, Cheongju International Airport, KTX Osong Station (see MMCA Cheongju webpage for exact bus numbers)

Cheongju Express Northern Stop. 12 min walk

You can visit the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art website to learn more about the museum's locations and detailed directions on how to get to each museum.

National Museum Of Modern And Contemporary Art Seoul Entrance Fee

With there being multiple MMCA locations in Korea, each museum has a different price point for entry into their respective exhibits. The all-in-one tickets for special exhibitions at the museum's Seoul location are around 4,000 won (around $2.80).

For the Gwacheon and Deoksugang locations, the price is dependent on the exhibition; however, admission is free of charge every last Wednesday of the month for Culture day. Lastly, the Cheongju location is completely free of charge. 

National Museum Of Modern And Contemporary Art Seoul Hours of Operation

According to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art webpage, these are each of the museum's operating hours:

MMCA SEOUL

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday: 10:00-18:00

  • Wednesday, Saturday: 10:00-21:00 (Late opening: 18:00-21:00)

MMCA GWACHEON

  • Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00-18:00

  • Closed: January 1st & every Monday

BTS RM taking a picture next to a painting in National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea
@mmcakorea on Instagram​​

MMCA DEOKSUGUNG

  • Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday: 10:00-18:00

  • Wednesday, Saturday: 10:00-21:00 (Late opening: 18:00-21:00)

  • Closed: January 1st & every Monday

MMCA CHEONGJU

  • Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00-18:00

  • Closed: January 1st & every Monday

Museum Of Modern And Contemporary Art Closing Days

The museums are closed for the following Holidays: 


  • January 1st

  • Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day)

  • Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)

If you loved our National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea blog, be sure to check out our other Korean Travel blogs at The Daebak Company. Visit The Daebak Company's website to get informed of all the top trending Korean travel locations and famous cultural sites and find the best Korean merchandise in one spot.

 

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