The National Museum of Korea in Seoul had nearly 95,000 visitors from abroad in the first half of this year. Shown is a group of international visitors on a curation program of the museum.

By Charles Audouin
Photos = National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea in Seoul saw a record number of international visitors in the first half of this year.

The museum on July 17 said 94,951 people from abroad visited between January and last month, up 35% from the previous record set over the same period last year.

The diversification of exhibition content and wider exchanges with museums overseas was cited as the reasons for the growth in the number of visitors. A survey by the British monthly Art Newspaper found that the museum globally ranked sixth last year and fifth in 2022 in the number of visitors for a museum or art gallery, and this also helped boost the visitor count.

A major attraction of the National Museum of Korea is "Endless Mountains and Rivers: A Prosperous World Unfolds in Nature," a 60-m panoramic digital projection, at the Immersive Digital Gallery. 

The museum received favorable reviews for presenting content that made Korean cultural heritage more accessible. Leading spaces included the Room of Quiet Contemplation and Celadon Gallery; digital reproduction of the tombstone of King Gwanggaeto the Great (374-412) of the Goguryeo Kingdom; immersive content such as the royal march to Hwaseong Haenggung Palace by King Jeongjo and the panoramic projection "Endless Mountains and Rivers: A Prosperous World Unfolds in Nature"; and  portraits drawn by artificial intelligence (AI) in the style of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

Commentary services offered in English, Chinese and Japanese were used by 3,900 foreign visitors in the first half, up 29% year on year. Such programs specifically for international students and expats in Korea were also provided.

The AI-operated self-driving robot QI is another can't-miss attraction. Fluent in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, the gizmo helps visitors navigate the museum, explains exhibition displays and can even engage in casual conversation.

The AI-operated self-driving robot QI welcomes visitors on the third floor of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

Expanded exchanges with overseas museums also led to more foreign visitors. The museum this year is holding the exhibitions "Perfectly Imperfect: Korean Buncheong Ceramics" with the Denver Art Museum in the U.S. and "Hallyu! The Korean Wave" with the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Next year, the museum in Seoul will host a series of large-scale exhibitions such as one featuring donated artworks from former Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, Denver museum, Dresden State Art Collections of Germany and Tokyo National Museum of Japan. 

caudouin@korea.kr