Museum and Art Gallery Expo to Be Held...146 Organizations to Participate

Academic Forums and Networking Events Strengthened

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korean Museum Association and Gwangju Tourism Organization, will hold the 2nd Museum and Art Gallery Expo at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju from September 4 to 7, 2025.

'The 2nd Museum and Art Gallery Expo' event poster. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Marking its second year after the inaugural event in Busan last year, the Museum and Art Gallery Expo will present the future direction of museums and art galleries under the main theme, "Challenges for Museums and Art Galleries in a Changing Society," and three sub-themes: "Inheritance and Preservation of Tradition," "The Power of Education and Creativity," and "Great Transformation in the Digital Age."

This year, a total of 146 organizations-including museums and art galleries nationwide, local governments, associations, and industry players-will operate 346 booths. In addition to national museums, 57 unique small private museums will also participate.

The National Museum of Korea will showcase its technological achievements, including data expansion, platform management, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models for cultural resources, which have been developed in collaboration with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) since 2020.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will exhibit works such as Lee Jungseop's silver foil paintings from the "Lee Kunhee Collection" through video displays and offer virtual reality (VR) exhibition experiences.

The National Folk Museum of Korea has prepared a "Traveling Children's Museum (Magic Room)" bus, a Vietnamese cultural experience using multicultural kits, and an archive search service for stored materials.

The National Museum Foundation will sell its souvenir "Myuz." The highly sought-after "Magpie and Tiger" souvenir, which recently sold out, will be available in a limited quantity of 100 per day. At the close of the expo, there will be a 10% discount event for "Myuz." The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also operate a promotional booth to provide useful information on policies, systems, and support programs related to museums and art galleries.

A wide range of hands-on and educational programs, as well as immersive digital video content, will be featured. There will be 23 hands-on and educational programs, including Shema Museum of Art's "TukTuk, TokTok - Making Mobiles with Various Materials," the Joseon Minhwa Museum's "Minhwa Coaster," and Chosun University Museum's "Making a Four-Sided Lantern." In addition, 28 leading domestic immersive digital video works-including "Gangsan Mujindo," "Gogung Yeonhwa," and "Eum, Rhythm"-will provide unique sensory experiences.

Academic Forums and Networking Events Enhanced

This year's expo has newly planned academic forums and significantly strengthened networking programs for professionals.

On September 4, an international academic forum will be held in a conference room on the third floor of the Kimdaejung Convention Center, where museum and art gallery professionals from Korea and abroad will share their expertise. Emiko Yamanashi, President of the Japanese Museum Association, will deliver a lecture on "Museums and Art Galleries in a Changing Society." Representatives from five organizations-the National Museum of Korea, Korean Museum Association, Museums and Museum People, Easy Culture and Arts Research Group, and Naju Cultural Foundation-will each engage in in-depth discussions on a range of topics, including artificial intelligence (AI) and platforms, communities, and branding.

On September 5, the "Museum Concert" will feature themed presentations by Jeon Eunsil, Director of the Book and Printing Museum; Kim Cheolsoo, Director of Daesan Museum of Art; and Lee Beomgwan, Director of the Intellectual Property Museum. The event will also include poetry readings by poet Lee Jiyeop and a Namdo pansori performance. On September 6, Park Amjong, President of the Private Museum Association; Chae Jonggi, Director of Eunam Museum of Art; and Lim Yangsoo, Director of the Ttangkkeut Marine Natural History Museum, will participate in a "Conversation with Directors" to network with other museum and art gallery professionals.

Other highlights include a special workshop at the Doll Workshop, where experts will repair children's favorite old dolls, AI-powered fortune and compatibility readings, K-Talisman experiences, and live calligraphy demonstrations by artists. The "Museum Jobda (Job Diversity)" job fair will offer specialized career and entrepreneurship counseling for university students and the general public, as well as presentations by HR managers from organizations such as the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation and the National Museum of World Writing. The opening ceremony will feature a traditional Korean music performance by Kim Taeyeon, a young gugak artist, adding excitement to the event.

Kim Youngsoo, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "The role of museums and art galleries as core cultural facilities is becoming increasingly important as we usher in the era of 300 trillion won for K-Culture," adding, "The Ministry will continue to strive for balanced regional cultural development through museums and art galleries."