What Shape Does the Sound of Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong Bell Take?... National Museum of Korea Presents Sensory Exhibition

‘Gonggan_Sai’ Exhibition Opens at the National Museum of Korea
Experience the Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong Bell Through Visual, Auditory, and Tactile Content

The National Museum of Korea announced on the 24th that it will open the permanent exhibition hall's sensory exhibition room, ‘Gonggan_Sai’ (Space_Between).

A video demonstrating the principle of the sound of the temple bell. Provided by the National Museum of Korea.

The exhibition room is located between the Celadon Room and the Metal Craft Room on the 3rd floor. It is designed to allow visitors to enjoy the characteristic Maeknori (a phenomenon where the sound’s intensity repeats and continues long and softly) of the national treasure ‘Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong’ bell through various senses such as sight, hearing, and touch.

At the center of the space, a large LED screen structure measuring 4 meters wide and 4 meters high visualizes the sound of the ‘Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong.’ Additionally, a speaker system was configured to effectively reproduce low-frequency sounds, and behind the LED screen, listening chairs were installed to allow visitors to focus solely on the sound.

The listening chairs are equipped with vibrators that transmit the pressure of the sound, enabling visitors to feel vibrations along with the bell’s tone. On both sides of the LED screen, scaled-down models made of the actual materials of the Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong are displayed, and tactile experiences are available for the bell’s materials such as copper and tin, as well as for the zelkova wood used to strike the bell.

All content is provided primarily in Korean, with Korean Sign Language, audio descriptions, large print, and English translations available.

A hearing loop (assistive listening device) has been installed for the hearing impaired, allowing hearing aid or cochlear implant users to hear the sounds more clearly.

The audio description comprehensively introduces the exhibition content, including the exhibition panels, so that visually impaired visitors can fully understand the exhibition.

Tactile exhibit. Provided by the National Museum of Korea

For children and wheelchair users, the panel height and font size can also be adjusted.

The acoustic data is based on the sound survey conducted by the National Gyeongju Museum, with consultation and review by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Sound design and spatial sound design were respectively handled by C2A Technology Co., Ltd. and TuneWorks.

A museum official stated, “Through this exhibition, we hope to enhance accessibility for diverse visitors and take a step forward in creating a ‘museum for everyone.’”