Gwacheon National Science Museum

Next to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon stands a large national science museum. When it opened in 2008, its 19,127 m² of exhibition space was reported to be three times that of the National Science Museum in Daejeon, and between the dinosaur fossils, the planetarium, the observatory and the outdoor insect house there is more than one day can cover. It sits right outside Exit 6 of Seoul Grand Park Station on Line 4.

How it came about

Plans for a new national science museum were announced on Science Day in 2001, and a site near Seoul Grand Park was chosen. After a trial run, the museum officially opened on 14 November 2008. From the start it put hands-on exhibits ahead of glass cases, and families with children are still its main visitors.

The permanent galleries

The permanent halls run on from one another inside a single building:

• Natural History Hall: dinosaur skeletons, fossils and the story of life on the Korean Peninsula; children tend to stay here longest.
• Korean Science and Civilization Hall: how traditional Korean science and technology developed.
• Science Exploration and Advanced Technology Halls: try out physics and chemistry experiments, robots, energy and communications technology.
• Future Imagination SF Hall: how ideas from science fiction turn into real technology.
• Children's Discovery Hall: a play-based space for preschool and early primary children.
• Hall of Fame: the people behind Korean science and technology.

Sky and outdoor exhibits

The planetarium projects stars and space films onto a dome 25 m across inside. The observatory runs free daytime sun-viewing sessions and stays open until 22:00 on Saturdays for night sky programmes. Outside are an insect ecology house, a nature park, a dinosaur history plaza and an outdoor display area where a real electric train and a diesel locomotive stand on tracks, a hit with young railway fans.

For something different, try Space Analog, a mock Mars base where you can join a guided tour or try base life yourself: basic tours and experiences cost KRW 2,000, and the advanced programme with analogue-mission training KRW 10,000 (minimum school grades apply). The observatory's evening stargazing session "Byeolbaragi" (KRW 10,000) is open only to those who book online.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday 09:30–17:30; ticket sales close at 16:30. Closed Mondays, 1 January and Seollal and Chuseok days; if Monday is a public holiday, the museum closes the next weekday instead.
• Admission (permanent galleries): adults (20–64) KRW 4,000, ages 7–19 KRW 2,000, free for under-7s and over-65s. The planetarium is a separate KRW 2,000 for adults and teens. On the last Wednesday of each month ("Culture Day") individual tickets are half price.
• Booking: permanent galleries and planetarium shows can be reserved on the museum website; weekend and school-holiday planetarium slots fill quickly.
• Time needed: 2–3 hours for the permanent galleries, half a day or more with the planetarium and outdoor areas.
• Getting there: Seoul Grand Park Station (Line 4), Exit 6 is right in front; from Seoul Racecourse Park Station, Exit 5, it is about a 10-minute walk. Roads around the museum jam at weekends and on holidays, so take the subway.
• Combine it: Seoul Grand Park, Seoul Land and the MMCA Gwacheon are all nearby for a full day out. Food is not allowed inside the exhibition halls.