Most Art Museums Offer Free Admission During Lunar New Year Holiday
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Closed on Lunar New Year Day
Most art museums will remain open during the Lunar New Year holiday to welcome visitors who rarely have the chance to visit exhibitions. With the exception of a few, such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which will be closed on the day of the holiday, the majority of public art museums nationwide will operate as usual for guests.
The Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will be open throughout the holiday period, except for the day of Lunar New Year, January 29. Located near Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Seoul branch is currently hosting "Wind, Thunder, Water, Sleep, Time," a solo exhibition by veteran artist Kangso Lee. The exhibition features early installations, video works, and paintings by the artist, who has been a leading figure in Korea's experimental art movement.
A virtual reality (VR) experience corner is also available. At the "Teleportation" exhibition, which features VR works by Korean and Canadian artists, visitors can put on VR headsets and experience scenes such as a solitary prison cell, 1930s Gyeongseong, and a futuristic Toronto in Canada.
From the left in the photo, "War Horse" by Xu Beihong and "Lotus and Mandarin Ducks" by Qi Baishi. Courtesy of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
The Deoksugung branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will remain open throughout the Lunar New Year holiday without any closures. Currently, the "Sumuk Byeolmi" exhibition allows visitors to compare modern and contemporary ink and color paintings from Korea and China. Works by renowned Chinese artists such as Wu Changshuo, Xu Beihong, Wu Zuoren, and Lin Fengmian are on display.
At Leeum Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, Seoul, the exhibition "Jeon·Ham: Embracing Enlightenment" is underway, focusing on two Goryeo-era artifacts designated as National Treasures. Noteworthy pieces include all seven volumes of the "Gamji Geumni Myobeopyeonhwagyeong," a Buddhist scripture written in gold on indigo paper and designed to be folded and unfolded, as well as the "Najeon Gukdangcho Pattern Box," meticulously crafted from tens of thousands of mother-of-pearl pieces. The museum will be closed on January 27 (Monday) and on Lunar New Year (January 29). Admission is free during the holiday period.
The Daegu Kansong Art Museum is showcasing works by leading figures in the history of Joseon Dynasty painting. The exhibition features pieces by Kim Hongdo (Danwon), Shin Yunbok (Hyewon), Jang Seungup (Owon), Jeong Seon (Gyeomjae), Sim Sa-jeong (Hyeonjae), and Jo Yeongseok (Gwanajae). Highlights include the National Treasure "Celadon Inlaid Cloud and Crane Design Maebyeong" and a gold-ink landscape painting by Lee Jing, known as "the best hand in Korea." The museum will only be closed on the day of Lunar New Year during the holiday period. Admission is charged.
Additionally, at the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do, an exhibition titled "O Jiho and Impressionism: From the Vitality of Light to Color" is being held to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of painter O Jiho (1905-1982). The museum will be closed on Lunar New Year, and admission is charged.
'Forest of Cage - Revelation of the Forest' currently exhibited at Busan Museum of Modern Art. Photo by Yonhap News
At the Busan Museum of Modern Art, visitors can enjoy "Nam June Paik, Nam June Paik, and Nam June Paik," the largest domestic exhibition since the passing of Nam June Paik, known as the "father of media art." The museum will remain open throughout the Lunar New Year holiday, and admission is free.
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