"20 Years of Journey and Future with Children"... Children's Museum Publishes Commemorative Record

Children's Museum of the National Museum of Korea Publishes Commemorative Record
"20 Years of Journey and Future"

The National Museum of Korea Children's Museum announced on January 7 that it has published a commemorative book titled "20 Years of Journey and Future, National Museum of Korea Children's Museum," which encapsulates the institution's philosophy and practices in exhibition and education over the past 20 years.

'20 Years of Journey and Future, National Museum of Korea Children's Museum'. Provided by National Museum of Korea Children's Museum

Since its opening in 2005, the Children's Museum has respected children not as "future visitors," but as "present, autonomous citizens and protagonists of learning." It has continuously experimented with a museum education model that enables children to learn and experience through cultural heritage. This book serves as a record summarizing these practices and as a result that shares the 20-year journey of the Children's Museum as a public cultural institution with society.

The book is divided into two chapters. Part 1, "20 Years of the Children's Museum Through Exhibition and Education," summarizes the changes and characteristics of each period with key themes: 2005-2011 is characterized by "children and families, sensory activities, archaeology centered on daily life, experience"; 2012-2018 by "diverse audiences, living experiences, collection-based cultural heritage, convergence"; and 2019-2024 by "for everyone, breaking boundaries, connecting artifacts and everyday life, inclusion," providing an overview of the museum's evolution.

Part 2, "20 Years of the Children's Museum Through Activities and People," includes an in-depth look at the museum's activities in "A Closer Look," personal accounts from those involved in its operations in "My Museum Story," and seven academic papers written by curatorial researchers.

This book demonstrates how the Children's Museum has grown beyond a simple experiential space into an open learning environment that encompasses children's senses and experiences, as well as family and social relationships. It is being recognized as an opportunity to reflect on the direction of museum education today.

Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, "The past 20 years of the Children's Museum have been a time of constantly questioning how museums can open themselves to society and future generations. This record will serve as a starting point for the next 20 years that we will create together with children."

All manuscripts of "20 Years of Journey and Future, National Museum of Korea Children's Museum" are available in the "Resources - Research Materials" section of the National Museum of Korea Children's Museum website.