Haslla Art World

Haslla is an old name for the Gangneung region, and the park was made from the 2000s by a sculptor couple on a headland above the sea near Jeongdongjin. It is not a conventional museum. Sculpture is set out across terraced gardens on the cliff, with the East Sea below and a horizon that on a clear day is the whole view; indoors there is a pinocchio and marionette museum with a large collection of the figures, and a contemporary gallery. The buildings themselves are eccentric - curved, hand-finished, deliberately unpolished - and part of the complex operates as a hotel where rooms are furnished as artworks. The whole thing is one couple's project rather than an institution, which shows in both directions: uneven, personal, and unlike anything else on this coast. Sunrise over the sea from the headland is the local reason to stay the night, since Jeongdongjin is famous for it.

What you actually see

• The clifftop sculpture gardens - terraced above the East Sea.
• The marionette museum - a large collection of pinocchio figures.
• The hand-built architecture - curved, uneven, deliberately so.
• The sea horizon - the view the whole site is arranged around.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Sunrise on this coast is the draw, so an overnight nearby makes sense. Closed some Mondays.

Honest expectations

Ticketed and not cheap. It is a personal project, so quality is uneven and the taste will not suit everyone. Public transport is awkward - most people come by car or taxi.

Nearby

Jeongdongjin beach and its sunrise park are close; Gangneung is 15 km north.