Gimhae National Museum

Built of black brick, Gimhae National Museum looks from a distance like a huge block of iron. The dark walls, evoking iron ore and charcoal, are a nod to Gaya, the confederacy known as "the kingdom of iron". The museum opened on 29 July 1998 at the foot of Gujibong, the hill linked to Gaya's founding myth, and is Korea's national museum dedicated to Gaya culture.

History: a museum for Gaya

Because Gaya left few written records, the museum focuses on archaeology, telling the story through sites and finds. The main building is known as the last work of the architect Jang Se-yang, and in 2006 the Gayanuri education centre, with a children's museum and special exhibition gallery, was added. The permanent galleries were completely redesigned in January 2024: the ground floor follows "The Road to Gaya" and the upper floor "Gaya and Its People". The permanent galleries open with the Gaya Welcome Room, a digital exhibition space.

What to see

• Before Gaya and the dawn of Gaya: from Neolithic pottery to the lacquered fan and scabbard from Tomb No. 1 at Daho-ri in Changwon and the crystal necklace (a Treasure) from Yangdong-ri in Gimhae, showing the Byeonhan society from which Gaya grew.
• The rise of Gaya: a horse face guard from the Daeseong-dong tombs in Gimhae, a bronze cauldron from Jin-dynasty China, horse gear of northern origin and Japanese bronzes reveal how widely Geumgwan Gaya traded. The ring-pommel sword with dragon and phoenix decoration (a Treasure) from Okjeon in Hapcheon is also here. The Ara Gaya and Dae Gaya sections show pedestal dishes and barbed iron plaques from the Marisan tombs in Haman.
• Gaya, kingdom of iron: spears, swords, iron ingots, tongs and bellows nozzles explain Gaya's iron-making skills.
• Gaya, maritime kingdom: the highlight is a wooden ship fragment about 390 cm long from the Bonghwang-dong site in Gimhae, the first proof that Geumgwan Gaya sailed the open sea. The full vessel is thought to have been 8–15 m long or more.
• Gaya pottery: pedestal dishes, vessel stands and boat-shaped pottery let you compare the styles of different Gaya regions.

Good to know

The ship fragment went through some 18 months of conservation, and analysis showed that the hull was made of camphor-type wood, the wedges of cedar and the oar of oak. Gujibong, where King Suro is said to have been born from an egg that came down from the sky, rises right behind the museum, and the tomb of Queen Heo, King Suro's wife, is right next door.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: permanent galleries 09:00–18:00, last entry 30 minutes before closing. Free admission; special exhibitions may charge a fee.
• Closing days: Mondays, 1 January and Seollal and Chuseok days. When a Monday is a public holiday, the museum closes on the next weekday instead.
• Getting there: take Busan Metro Line 2 to Sasang, change to the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail and get off at Museum Station, a short walk away.
• Guided tours: volunteer guides lead tours at set times from Tuesday to Sunday (such as 11:00 and 14:00). The children's museum must be booked online by the day before.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for the galleries, or half a day if you walk on to Gujibong and Queen Heo's tomb.