A Gwanghwamun Lunchtime Stroll: Discovering the Hidden Treasure of the Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall Beneath Seoul Plaza
A Secret Exhibition Hall Beneath Gwanghwamun Plaza?
If you want to enjoy a walk indoors during the cold winter, I recommend the Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall located underground in Gwanghwamun Plaza. This is a fulfilling space where you can experience history and culture within a short amount of time, located underground in the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. It’s free to enter and open from 10 AM to 6:30 PM, Tuesday to Sunday, making it perfect to visit during your lunch break (closed on Mondays).
Did you know that there is an exhibition hall like this under Gwanghwamun Plaza? It's a special place where you can encounter history and culture in the middle of the city, and I was able to spend a meaningful time while taking a warm stroll even in the cold winter.
Exhibition Structure and Main Highlights
The Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall is organized into a total of six themes, highlighting the life and achievements of Admiral Yi Sun-sin from various angles. There were interesting exhibits and experiential elements in each theme, so there was no time to be bored.
- The Life of the Hero, Yi Sun-sin: In this section, you can see a chronological overview of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's life, from his birth to his achievements during the Imjin War and his honorable death. It was a space where I could glimpse the admiral's leadership and his human side.
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Joseon Warships:
Introducing the structure and roles of the Geobukseon (turtle ship) and Panokseon, you can experience their majesty firsthand as there is a model of an actual Geobukseon scaled down to 56% of its size.
- Seven Years of Naval Battles: A space that covers major naval battles that took place during the Imjin War, where you could visually understand Admiral Yi Sun-sin's strategic tactics, such as the Hakikjin formation (crane wing formation).
- Human Yi Sun-sin Seen Through the Nanjung Diary: You could catch a glimpse of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's agony and human side through his Nanjung Diary. A copy of the actual Nanjung Diary was also on display, adding to the historical atmosphere.
- Yi Sun-sin's Leadership: A space that explains the admiral's decisiveness and strategic thinking with various examples, providing lessons that can be applied to modern leadership.
- 4D Video Experience Hall: A space where you can vividly experience major battles, such as the Battle of Myeongnyang, which was very popular with visitors.
Experiential Programs and Artifacts
The Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall offered various programs where you could go beyond simply observing and experience things directly. You could explore the inside of a Geobukseon (turtle ship) and touch Joseon navy weapons, and there were also opportunities to experience rowing or artillery firing. Especially if you visit with children, it seems like you could have an even more exciting time.
In addition, there were also artifacts on display, such as swords and armor used by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, allowing me to feel the historical value. It made me think that these artifacts don't just serve to remember the past, but also play a role in conveying important lessons to the present and future generations.
A Perfect Choice for a Lunchtime Stroll in Gwanghwamun
It was a space that was structured efficiently enough for me to see everything within a short lunch break. Especially, the Geobukseon model and the Nanjung Diary were interesting enough for me to want to visit with children. Above all, the fact that it's free to enter is a major plus, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about history and culture.
I was surprisingly amazed to be able to go on such a fulfilling historical journey in the middle of the city, and it was nice that I could take a meaningful walk indoors in the warm environment, even in the cold winter.
In Conclusion...
The Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall was a perfect place to go on a leisurely lunchtime walk and take a historical journey near Gwanghwamun. I was able to explore Admiral Yi Sun-sin's life and achievements in depth in a short amount of time, and I was able to enjoy my visit more thanks to the various experiential programs.
If you are looking for a special indoor place for a walk in Gwanghwamun this winter, be sure to stop by! And I hope you all create unforgettable experiences at the Chungmugong Story Exhibition Hall.
