Light is not only an indispensable energy source required for human life, but also essential for appreciating and studying cultural properties.

People in the past were only aware of visible light, but we now know that light is not all we can see with our naked eye, such as infrared, ultraviolet, and X-rays. The invisible light can provide clues that reveal secrets about the production techniques of cultural properties. Moreover, it can provide new knowledge in the fields of humanities such as archeology and art history, beyond the realm of conservation science.

The National Museum of Korea is pleased to host the special exhibition titled, The Science of Light: Revealing the Secrets of Cultural Properties, which shares intriguing findings from cultural properties conservation using the various kinds of light.

The exhibition begins with an explanation of light itself, and then goes on to introduce the results of scientific investigations case by case. It consists of (I) Visible Light: Adding Color to Cultural Properties; (II) Invisible Light: Unveiling the Secrets of Cultural Properties; and (III) Light: Examining Cultural Properties.

It is hoped that this exhibition will provide an opportunity to discover the current status of advanced scientific technologies that are revealing a wealth of information about cultural properties and to explore future technology that will someday be used to preserve invaluable Korean cultural properties.

“The Science of Light, Revealing the Secrets of Cultural Properties” Visible to the eye is not everything! Hidden in cultural properties Amazing secrets You were unaware of Unveiled stories Let's explore them together! 2020.8.25.TUE-11.15.SUN 특별전 Special Exhibition 국립중앙박물관 특별전시실 Special Exhibition Gallery National Museum of Korea 빛의 과학 문화재의 비밀을 밝히다 The Science of Light Revealing the Secrets of Cultural Properties 국립중앙박물관

The Science of Light, Revealing the Secrets of Cultural Properties (00:20)