Sunday

National Museum of Korea - Seoul, South Korea

Once in Seoul, if you want to see another museum after the Leeum, you should go to the National Museum of Korea. You will experience a crash-course in Korean history and art, just strolling along the three floors of the Museum, manageable in a couple of hours. And it is free!

Outside: The building in granite, steel, and glass, reinterprets the traditional architectural spirit of Korea in a contemporary style. There is an open plaza between the two buildings which symbolizes maru (wooden floor), a unique architectural space of Korea. There is a pond in the center of the building site, which, with the backdrop of the Korean mountains, creates the sense of harmony and balance as Yin and Yang. Inside: You should start with Paleolithic (who knew there were dolmen in Korea as well!). The Silla dynasty era is the most impressive, with its golden crowns and belts. You can walk through the long section on calligraphy. Koreans invented metal mobile print almost 100 years before Guttenberg printed his famous bible in 1455. The section on porcelain is beautiful. Don't miss the green porcelain vases (celadon), shaped like reversed anphoras. Asian silk screens are also featured prominently. My favorites are the Japanese screens (take a look at the beautiful 14th century plum blossom in ink strokes and light colors). There are also rooms with Asian art, although if you have seen the Metropolitan Museum in NY, you have already seen more. (Last visit 06/2008)

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