100,000 Visitors at 8 Public Museums Nationwide
Exhibition Expands to Regional Areas
Featuring National Treasure-Level Artifacts
The National Museum of Korea announced on August 25 that it will expand the "National Treasure Touring Exhibition: 180 Days of Shared Journey," which has attracted 100,000 visitors at eight public museums nationwide, to include Jeongeup, Jinan, Hamyang, and Samcheok starting in September.
This exhibition was organized to enhance local residents' cultural rights by shifting from "fixed cultural heritage," which could only be viewed in the Seoul metropolitan area, to "visiting cultural heritage" that can be enjoyed closer to everyday life. In collaboration with the National Jeonju Museum, National Iksan Museum, National Jinju Museum, and National Chuncheon Museum, the exhibition will be held at regional public museums.
The exhibition will open sequentially at the Jeongeup City Museum in North Jeolla Province on September 2, the Jinan History Museum in North Jeolla Province on September 4, the Hamyang Museum in South Gyeongsang Province on September 19, and the Samcheok City Museum in Gangwon Province on October 1.
The Jinan History Museum and Samcheok City Museum will each feature exhibitions themed "Baekje Patterns" and "Silla Ornaments," respectively. The Jeongeup City Museum and Hamyang Museum will present "Blue and White Porcelain" and "Buncheong Ware," which are rarely seen in these regions, providing local residents with new cultural experiences.
Representative artifacts include: ▲ Baekje Landscape Patterned Brick (Treasure) ▲ Silla Bomun-dong Joint Burial Gold Earrings (National Treasure) ▲ Buncheong Ware Inlaid Lotus Vine Pattern Bottle (Treasure) ▲ White Porcelain Openwork Peony Pattern Jar (Treasure). All are national treasure-level cultural assets familiar to the public from textbooks. Seven major artifacts will also be displayed, including Silla ornaments such as the gold crown ornament that gained global attention after appearing in singer Jennie's music video, and the "Buncheong Ware Iron-painted Fish Pattern Jar" donated by the late Chairman Lee Kunhee.
Previously, exhibitions held at four institutions-Goheung Buncheong Cultural Museum, Bonghwa Cheongnyangsan Museum, Nonsan Baekje Military Museum, and Uiseong Jomunguk Museum-drew over 100,000 visitors in total, receiving an enthusiastic response. In particular, the Goheung Buncheong Cultural Museum saw 35,756 visitors, a 56% increase compared to the same period last year (22,839), and Bonghwa Cheongnyangsan Museum also welcomed 16,454 visitors, up 44% year-on-year, contributing to the revitalization of regional public museums.
The National Museum of Korea is expected to surpass 4 million visitors this year, setting an all-time record.
Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, "The National Treasure Touring Exhibition was organized so that people can encounter national treasure-level cultural heritage in their daily lives and share cultural pride," adding, "We will continue to promote regional coexistence as a museum hub encompassing museums nationwide through exhibitions that are learned and enjoyed together with local communities."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
