Jeju Aerospace Museum

At the Jeju Aerospace Museum in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, real aircraft fill a huge exhibition hall, some parked on the floor and some hanging in the air. With an aviation history hall showing 26 real aircraft, an astronomy and space hall and a hands-on theme hall, it suits family trips and rainy days on Jeju.

About the museum

The project began when the Republic of Korea Air Force proposed building an aerospace museum. Jeju Province, the Air Force and the Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) signed an agreement, construction started in 2009, and the museum opened on 24 April 2014. The site covers about 329,000 m², and the exhibition building has three floors above ground and one below, with a total floor area of about 24,000 m². During construction the museum also signed agreements with the Smithsonian Institution in the United States and the Gwacheon National Science Museum. JDC still runs it.

The museum is designed to mix education and play rather than simply line up aircraft. An observatory and an observation deck were built as part of the complex, and there are exhibitions and education programmes aimed at young people. Children who love planes can easily spend half a day here.

What to see

• Aviation History Hall: The highlight. In a high-ceilinged hall, real aircraft stand on the floor and hang overhead. Look for types such as the F-4 Phantom, F-86 Sabre, the propeller-driven F-51 Mustang and the T-33 trainer, as well as a Soviet-built MiG-19 and a replica of the Wright brothers' Flyer.
• Astronomy and Space Hall: Covers humanity's journey into space and astronomy. In the ground-floor hall there is a full-size model of the Korean Earth-observation satellite KOMPSAT-5 (Arirang-5).
• Theme Hall: Multimedia and interactive installations let you feel the principles of flight and space for yourself. Some activities cost extra.
• Outdoor display: Larger aircraft such as transport planes and helicopters stand outside the building.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), closed on the third Monday of every month.
• Admission: Adults KRW 10,000, youth and military/police KRW 9,000, children and seniors KRW 8,000. Activities are charged separately. Prices can change, so check before you go.
• Time needed: Allow 2 hours for the exhibitions, or 3 hours or more with activities.
• Best time: Mostly indoors, so it is a good plan for rainy or very windy days. Weekends and school holidays bring many families.
• Combine with: Sanbangsan is about 7 km away, which makes it easy to pair with the rest of western Seogwipo. A car is the most convenient way to get here.
• Contact: Hours, prices and activities can change, so check the official website or call +82 64-800-2114. Groups get discounted rates.
• With children: Besides state guests and officials on duty, infants under 36 months also enter free. Activities are charged separately, so picking the ones your children want to try in advance saves time and money.