Announcement of 2025 Major Work Plan
Strengthening Calligraphy Content and Establishing Islamic Gallery
Introducing the "Lee Kun-hee Collection" in the United States
Marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation this year, the National Museum of Korea plans to showcase exhibitions highlighting Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545?1598) and marathon hero Sohn Kee-chung (1912?2002). This year also marks the 80th anniversary since the Joseon Government-General Museum was newly reopened as the National Museum (the predecessor of the National Museum of Korea) in 1945 after liberation. It has been 20 years since the museum relocated to Yongsan.
According to the National Museum of Korea’s major work plan for 2025, the museum will emphasize the themes of peace and overcoming national crises this year. The four main directions are set as “Museum of Empathy,” “Open Museum,” “Museum of Convergence,” and “Museum of Coexistence,” with various projects planned accordingly. The museum aims to establish a system for scientifically managing and preserving cultural heritage and to promote Korean heritage worldwide. In this context, an exhibition of the late Lee Kun-hee’s “Lee Kun-hee Collection” is planned to be held in the United States.
From June to August, an exhibition highlighting the flow and significance of early Joseon period art will be held. In October, the Museum Conservation Science Center will open its doors. Equipped with 3D scanning and digital restoration rooms, material-specific conservation treatment rooms, and analysis laboratories, the Conservation Science Center is expected to help scientifically manage cultural heritage using advanced technology.
In November, a special exhibition titled “Yi Sun-sin” will be presented, focusing on the human side of Yi Sun-sin who longed for peace amid the Imjin War, based on research and investigations related to the war.
Overseas exhibitions will also take place. The calligraphy, ceramics, and crafts donated by Chairman Lee Kun-hee are scheduled to be exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in the United States this November. More than 250 pieces, including the national treasure “Jeong Seon’s Inwangjesaekdo,” will be introduced.
Exhibitions introducing diverse global cultures and arts to Korea are also prepared. In April, a special exhibition on the history, culture, and art of indigenous peoples of the Pacific region will be presented domestically for the first time. In November, a new “Islamic Gallery” will be established in the permanent exhibition hall. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, an exchange exhibition will be held jointly with the Tokyo National Museum in Japan. Additionally, a special exhibition featuring masterpieces by world-renowned artists such as Renoir, Gauguin, and Van Gogh will be organized.
The museum plans to expand and relocate the Children’s Museum by 2029. Projects include “From Meals to Suras,” which examines Korean food culture based on the study of food residues found in prehistoric and historic pottery, and a research project on epigraphy using rubbings from the North Korean region.
Kim Jae-hong, director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, “We will do our best to serve as a bridge connecting the past, present, and future, becoming a museum that unites everyone through diverse cultures and breathes together.”
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