Haenam Dinosaur Festival Draws Largest Crowd Since Museum Opened

128,185 Visitors in Three Days of the Festival
A Time Travel Journey to the Dinosaur World of 100 Million Years Ago

The Haenam Dinosaur Festival, held at the Haenam Dinosaur Museum in South Jeolla Province from May 3 to 5, drew a record-breaking crowd of approximately 128,000 visitors, resulting in a huge success during the Golden Holiday.

According to Haenam County on May 7, the long holiday, which included Children's Day, brought families from all over the country to the Haenam Dinosaur Museum, where the festival was held. During the three-day festival period, a total of 128,185 people visited, including about 57,000 on May 4 alone.

(Photo by Haenam County) (Left) Congressman Park Jiwon and County Governor Myeong Hyungwan are giving welcoming remarks at the festival opening ceremony.

The Haenam Dinosaur Museum is a popular family destination, especially during Children's Day and Family Month, when the number of visitors increases significantly each year. However, this year saw the largest crowd since the museum opened in 2007, with the festival venue's lawn square and even the inside of the museum packed with visitors all day long, creating a bustling and extraordinary scene.

A county official stated, "Since the opening of the Dinosaur Museum, we have never seen such a large number of visitors," and added, "The children's cheers made it feel as if the dinosaurs had traveled through time and returned," highlighting the festival's success.

Visitors from across the country enjoyed a journey back 100 million years to the world of dinosaurs at Korea's largest dinosaur museum, as well as a festival filled with dinosaur-themed attractions and activities that could not be found anywhere else.

At the festival's main stage on the lawn square, performances targeting children such as TiniPing and Pinkfong shows, balloon shows, bubble shows, and magic shows continued throughout the day, drawing enthusiastic responses from children. In the evening, popular singers such as Yoon Dohyun Band and Huh Gak held family concerts, allowing adults to also enjoy the festival stage. At night, a traditional Korean firework performance called Nakhwa-nori was held over the museum's pond, astonishing the audience.

State-of-the-art exhibition facilities incorporating AI technology broke the stereotype that museums are boring and attracted new visitors. The nighttime opening of the festival illuminated the dinosaur fossil site with beautiful lights, providing visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture unforgettable moments, which was reflected in their reviews.

A balloon show is taking place at the main stage on the lawn square of the festival site. Provided by Haenam County

Prioritizing the convenience of children and families, the 330,000-square-meter outdoor facility was thoroughly prepared to offer both play and relaxation. The main stage was set up on the lawn so that children could enjoy performances, play, and experience various activities freely throughout the three-day festival.

In particular, the dinosaur train, which tirelessly transported visitors throughout the spacious museum, became a popular attraction itself, providing a memorable experience just by riding it. Food vendors operating during the festival strictly prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages and offered a wide variety of affordable menu items tailored to children's tastes, doing their best to welcome all guests.

This year's festival was praised as an ESG event for Haenam County, as it promoted a zero single-use policy by selling food in reusable containers and requiring their return. The sight of a line of vehicles stretching from the festival site to Hwangsan-myeon, with even the deputy county governor and department heads dispatched to the scene to direct traffic, was an unusual scene not seen in other local governments and was highly praised for the county's meticulous festival management.

The Haenam Dinosaur Festival concluded on May 5, but the museum remained open with free admission on the substitute holiday, May 6. Now in its third year, the Haenam Dinosaur Festival has grown into a nationally recognized festival in just three years, and with the museum's 20th anniversary approaching, there are high expectations for further growth and development.

County Governor Myeong Hyungwan said, "The Haenam Dinosaur Festival is becoming the most famous children's and family festival in the country as the number of visitors increases every year. I would like to thank all the visitors who came to the festival, and I will carefully consider not only preparations for next year's festival but also ways to enhance the status and future direction of the Dinosaur Museum as it marks its 20th anniversary."