Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관)

1.9Km 2025-01-17

55 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seoul Museum of History covers everything about Seoul's history and culture from the prehistoric era to modern times, focusing especially on the Joseon era. The museum aims to raise cultural awareness and build a strong bond within the community by collecting, preserving, researching, and displaying artifacts and materials related to Seoul as well as promoting the city's history and culture to an international audience.

Insa-dong (인사동)

1.9Km 2024-05-17

62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Insa-dong, located in the heart of the city, is an important place where old but precious traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Within these alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, teahouses, and cafes.

The galleries are the heartbeat of Insa-dong. There are about 100 galleries in the area offering every example of traditional Korean fine art from paintings to sculptures. The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which functions as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center.

The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect complement to the galleries. They are hidden deep within the twisting alleyways, making it feel like a treasure hunt. The shops in Insa-dong are very popular among all age groups, because each one is unique.

Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street is blocked to vehicular traffic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and Korean candy merchants and fortune teller stalls can easily be found; there are traditional performances and exhibits as well. Insa-dong is especially popular among international tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture first-hand, and also purchase pieces of fine art.

Korean National Police Heritage Museum (경찰박물관)

1.9Km 2021-12-21

41, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The police museum opened on October 14, 2005 to give a better understanding of the job of the police and to offer a formal education to children who wish to become police officers in the future. The history hall of the museum is designed for visitors to learn about the history of Korean police at a glance, exhibiting information on the police force from the Joseon dynasty up until current times.

Visitors to the museum can pretend to be police officers by touching actual equipment and learning about an officer's daily tasks. Visitors can also get in patrol cars, wear a police uniform, experience shooting a gun through a simulation, and learn self-defense martial arts and arrest techniques. Visitors can also go to the museum jail.

Sejong-ro Park (세종로공원)

2.0Km 2022-08-31

jiha 189, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Sejong-ro Park is located next to Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. Inside the park, there are wooden benches and shaded areas where people can sit and relax. Also available are water fountains, a round outdoor stage, and various sculptures. The lunch crowd from the nearby office buildings often come to the park during weekdays. On the weekends, the park is also used as a venue for outdoor weddings.

Seoul's anthem and the poem "Bulnori" by Ju Yo-han are written on a memorial stone that can be found inside the park.

Doosan Art Center (두산아트센터)

2.0Km 2021-11-01

15, Jong-ro 33-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Doosan Art Center, which opened on October 1, 2007, is structured around three different spaces: The Yonkang Hall, exclusively designed for musical performances, Space 111, a “space for art incubation,” and the Doosan Gallery, built for installations.
The Yongang Hall, a theater with 620-person seating capacity, has specially designed lightings and a world-class audio-visual system to provide a second-to-none sensory experience.
Space 111 can accommodate a broad range of performing arts, from theater and dance to film and music concerts. The Doosan Gallery is open to the public, and art exhibitions and performances here can be enjoyed free of charge.
All three theaters include spacious lobbies with handicapped access, designated seating for parents with infants, and meeting areas. Rest rooms are also available nearby, in order to avoid long queues and long walks during intermission.

Kangbuk Samsung Hospital (강북삼성병원)

2.0Km 2025-10-23

29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Established in 1968, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital has over 50 years of history and is taking a new leap forward with a vision for its centennial year.
Through partnerships with renowned institutions, such as Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States and the BBDC in Canada, the hospital delivers advanced medical services while leading the public health arena. It is also committed to systematic research and the development of ICT-integrated digital healthcare, which will be the foundation for future medicine. With an excellent infrastructure that includes clinics and specialized centers (e.g., the Diabetes Center, Breast and Thyroid Cancer Center, Digestive Cancer Center, Musculoskeletal Disease Center, and Prostate Center), Kangbuk Samsung Hospital provides top-quality medical services focused on providing patients with satisfactory treatments.

Gwanghwamun Hanokjip (광화문한옥집)

2.0Km 2024-10-15

7, Saemunanro5ga-gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul

A store with rooms reproducing a traditional kitchen. The best menu at this restaurant is napa wraps with pork. This is a Korean cuisine located in Gwanghwamun Gate, Seoul.

Matthew Chang Anguk (메튜장 안국)

2.0Km 2025-07-14

33 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Matthew Chang Anguk flagship store uses the whole space to bring the brand's philosophy to life through fragrance. Located in Anguk, the heart of Korea's tradition and aesthetics, the store's tranquil atmosphere sets the mood for visitors to try on and experiment with the brand's carefully selected perfume collection. The staff provides assistance in recommending the perfect scent according to visitor's preference, mood, and nostalgia. The store also has a section dedicated to body care products, such as hand wash and body lotion.

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

2.0Km 2025-06-19

4 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA), the first public museum of craft art in Korea, opened its doors in Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, in July 2021 after renovating five buildings of the former Pungmoon Girls’ High School. SeMoCA studies and shares not only works, but also information, records, people, and environment related to craft art with the goal of becoming a dynamic platform for experiencing the technical, practical, artistic, and cultural values of craft.
SeMoCA holds a collection that comprises various crafts and craft materials covering multiple fields and eras from the traditional to the present. SeMoCA also holds exhibitions that feature the history of craft from traditional to contemporary art as well as local and children’s crafts, along with programs that utilize the museum’s craft installations, craft archives, craft library, and craft resource management system.
The site of the museum has deep historical roots as it is also the Andong Secondary Palace Site, where a detached palace was constructed as a royal residence for King Sejong’s son Prince Yeongeung, and served as a venue for royal celebrations, such as the wedding of King Sunjong. The site is also at the center of Jongno-gu, where Joseon-era master artisans (“gyeonggongjang”) of the royal palace produced and delivered craft works.

Theatre Changdeokgung (창덕궁 소극장)

2.0Km 2021-12-07

88-1, Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Theatre Changdeokgung is located across from Changdeokgung Palace in the Gugak-ro Special Cultural Zone of Seoul. To recreate the traditional Korean entertainment setting and offer a better view of the stage, the theater is designed with floor seatings facing a platform stage. The theater offers a wide array of performances including samulnori (traditional Korean percussion quartet), traditional Korean music, and madanggeuk (a play infused with traditional music and performances). First time visitors often find the creative and cozy experience create a lasting memory of Korean culture and arts. Also nearby the theater are a number of tourist attractions including Changdeokgung Palace, Unhyeongung Palace, Jongmyo Shrine, and Insa-dong.

Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관) - Area information - Korea travel information