Treasure n ° 653 “Screen of Sagye Bungyeogdo embroidered” (SeMoCA) |
Located in Jongno, central Seoul, the country’s first national museum dedicated to Korean crafts opened to the public on July 16 with eight craft exhibitions, quickly becoming a popular destination with nearly 80,000 visitors during of the past four months.
âThe museum shows the priceless beauty of Korean handicrafts which you may have overlooked as they are a part of our daily life. At the museum, you will be able to see Korean handicrafts from the New Stone Age to the contemporary era, âDirector Kim Soo-jung told reporters during the opening presentation on Monday.
The Seoul Museum of Craft Art in Jongno, central Seoul (SeMoCA) |
The museum is home to some 23,000 handicrafts, including designated treasures from Korea such as the four-piece “Folding Screen of Sagye Bungyeogdo” embroidered from the late Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), which was designated as treasure n ° 653. The museum also holds some 15,000 documents in the craft archives room located on the third floor.
The museum’s craft shop is a must-see where the works of 30 artisan artists whose works are part of the museum’s collection are available for purchase. Items include metal, wood, ceramics, textiles and lacquer work. The display and selection of works of art for sale will change according to the 24 seasonal periods of the lunar calendar.
Current exhibits include two permanent exhibits – “Embroidery in Flowers” and “Bojagi, Embracing Daily Life” – which show the delicacy of Korean embroidery and “bojagi”, or wrapping fabric.
The museum plans to present the second part of the exhibition, “Crafts, beyond time and borders”, which will present lacquered works, metal crafts and textiles, after the first part of the 16 July to October 24 devoted to ceramics, glass and woodworking. The next exhibit will open as soon as the full environmental assessment of the exhibit is complete, according to the museum.
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SeMoCA Children’s Museum Ceramics Workshop (Park Yuna / The Korea Herald) |
Reservations on the museum’s official website are recommended to visit the museum. The museum offers six slots throughout the day until 6 p.m., allowing 450 people for each 80-minute session. The museum is closed on Mondays.
The museum occupies the former site of Poongmoon Girls’ High School, which moved to Gangnam in 2017 and became a coeducational school.
By Park Yuna ([email protected])