국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

  • 국립중앙박물관
    • 1996~ 2004

    • Gyeongbokgung Palace: the Fourth Period

    The NMK’s relocation to the former Joseon General-Government building stirred a considerable amount of controversy, because many Koreans saw that particular building as a symbol of colonialism.

    Since the public was so opposed to the display of precious Korean properties inside this building, the Korean government decided to demolish the building and build a new museum at a different location. The chosen site was Yongsan Family Park in Seoul. The proposed project would require about ten years to complete, so in December 1996, the NMK was temporarily moved to the renovated Social Education Center in Gyeongbokgung Palace.

    Special exhibitions during this period included “Korean Ancient Pottery” (1997), “The Tiger in Korean Art” (1998), “Beauteous Kumgangsan, Diamond Mountain” (1999), “New Millennium Special Exhibition: Hangeul, the Korean Alphabet” (2000), “Genre Paintings of the Joseon Period” (2002), and “Unified Silla” (2003). More than 12,000 relics were donated to the NMK between 2000 and 2004, confirming the positive response of the Korean people to the museum’s relocation to Yongsan

  • 1996~

    • December 13, 1996
      The National Museum of Korea was relocated to the renovated Social Education Center in Gyeongbokgung Palace.
    • October 31, 1997
      The new site of the National Museum of Korea was designated in Yongsan.
    • April 12, 1979
      Jinju National Museum opened.
  • 2000~

    • April 30, 2001
      The National Museum of Korea took over the direction of the construction of its new building, replacing the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
    • June 15, 2001
      Jeju National Museum opened.
    • October 30, 2002
      Chuncheon National Museum opened.
    • November 20, 2003
      The History Department was added to the National Museum of Korea.
    • May 14, 2004
      Gongju National Museum was relocated to a new building.
    • October 17, 2004
      The National Museum of Korea in Gyeongbokgung Palace was closed.
    • December 31, 2004
      The National Museum of Korea was officially relocated from Gyeongbokgung Palace to Yongsan.