Nexon Computer Museum

Behind the glass sits a computer that looks like a wooden box. It is an Apple I, one of the few that still work. The Nexon Computer Museum, near Halla Arboretum in Jeju City, was opened by the game company Nexon on 27 July 2013. Its big draw is that you can touch and play many of the old PCs and consoles on display.

What kind of museum is it

The museum was set up to collect and preserve the history of computers and game culture that underpins Korea's IT industry. At its opening it was presented as Asia's first computer museum, and sources put its collection at 6,900 items or more than 16,000. It has worked with institutions such as the Computerspielemuseum in Berlin and with game and tech companies.

At opening, each floor had its own theme: the history of personal computers on the first floor, video games and next-generation technology on the second, education programmes and open-source inventions on the third, and arcade games in the basement. In 2015 it launched a 360-degree virtual museum, and in 2016 a mobile app covering some 440 key objects.

What to see

• Apple I: Bought at auction in 2012 for USD 374,500; only about six working examples are thought to exist worldwide.
• Early personal computers: Classics such as the Altair 8800, Commodore PET and IBM PC, alongside Korean machines like the Zemix V and SPC-1500A made or sold by Samsung, Daewoo and Goldstar (now LG).
• Consoles and arcades: Famicom, Game Boy, Sega machines and arcade cabinets. You can play software such as Space Invaders, Galaga, Prince of Persia and the Korean typing tutor Hanme Tajagyosa.
• The Kingdom of the Winds: Nexon restored the early version of its 1996 graphical online game in 2014 and made it playable again.

Good to know

• Unlike most museums, much of the collection is hands-on. Parents often show their children the games they grew up with.
• The museum has also staged themed exhibitions, for example on the history of keyboards and mice.

Nearby

• Halla Arboretum: Close by, a pleasant add-on for a walk.
• Jeju's old town: Gwandeokjeong and the Jeju-mok government office make an easy pairing for a day in Jeju City.

Tripto tips

• Hours: Listed as 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30). Closed on Mondays and on Seollal and Chuseok days.
• Tickets: Listed at KRW 8,000 for adults, KRW 7,000 for teenagers and KRW 6,000 for children; prices can change, so check the official website.
• Time needed: Playing the games eats up time; allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
• Getting there: The museum is on 1100-ro in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City, with parking. Being in Jeju City, it is easy to fit in on arrival or departure day.
• Rainy days: Everything is indoors, so it is a popular backup plan when Jeju's weather turns.