Seoul Museum of History

This is the museum about Seoul itself rather than about Korea, and it fills a gap the national museums leave: how a walled Joseon capital of a few hundred thousand became a city of ten million in one lifetime. The permanent galleries run chronologically - the Joseon capital and its walls, the colonial period, the post-war reconstruction, the industrial decades - using ordinary objects, shop signs, household goods, photographs and film alongside documents. The exhibit most people remember is Seoul Diorama, a scale model of the whole city about twenty metres across on the third floor, lit and detailed enough that you can find individual neighbourhoods. Outside stands an old streetcar, and Gyeonghuigung palace is next door. Entry is free. For anyone spending more than a few days in the city it explains a great deal that the palaces do not.

The main sights

• Seoul Diorama - the twenty-metre scale model of the city.
• The chronological galleries - capital, colonial period, post-war, industrial.
• The everyday objects - shop signs, household goods, film.
• The outdoor pieces - the old streetcar, with Gyeonghuigung next door.

When to go

Any season. Closed Mondays. It is rarely crowded on weekdays, which makes it an easy rainy-day option.

Things to know

Free. English labelling is decent but thinner in the later galleries. It is a city-history museum - expect documents and context rather than treasures.

Nearby

Gyeonghuigung is adjacent; Gwanghwamun, Deoksugung and Jeongdong are a short walk.

Key facts