City: Jongno-gu
Top Things to do in Jongno-gu
Countries
What to do and see in Jongno-gu, South Korea: The Best History Museums
Seoul is the business and cultural hub of South Korea, where skyscrapers tower over Buddhist temples. Take it all in from the N Seoul Tower, built atop a peak in Namsan Park. The teahouses and shops of Insadong give you a taste of Korean flavor, which you can further experience with a visit to the grounds and museums of Gyeongbokgung. UNESCO World Heritage Site Changdeokgung Palace is a fine example of authentic ancient architecture.
Restaurants in Seoul
1. Gongpyeong Historic Sites Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
2. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,654 reviews
The National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are located on the grounds of this palace, built six centuries ago by the founder of the Chosun dynasty.
Reviewed By Krubee - Singapore, Singapore
At the heart of Seoul lies this ancient yet historically significant center of the Joseon dynasty - the Eternal, Grand, Beautiful and Enchanting Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and grandest of the 5 palaces built during the Joseon dynasty in 1395 by King Taejo, the first King of Joseon.. It is the seat of the King, His household and the government. To date it is one of the most famous attractions in Seoul and South Korea. Millions of tourist visit this Palace and it is a must visit. You could take the Seoul metro and could alight at Gyeongbokgung station which is connected via Heungnyemun Gate or outside via Gwanghwamun station and you need to walk via North direction passing by the statue of King Sejong the Great. The National Palace Museum of Korea is located via Heungnyemun gate. The entrance fee to this palace is around 3K Won for adults. As you enter the main gate of Gwanghwamun in the south you will be greeted by several other gates as you walk north into the Geunjeongjeon (Throne hall). The cobbled stones floor indicates that you are entering history. Other significant buildings include the beautiful Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (Banquet hall) with a lake surrounding it, Gangnyeongjeon (King's residential quarter), Gyotaejeon (Queen's quarter), Hyangwonjeong (2 story Hexagonal shape pavillion on lake connected by Chwihyanggyo bridge), and many more. We went here during Fall season and it's magical we were surrounded by trees of red, yellow and orange. The wind blowing adds to the beauty of the falling leaves. Despite the plenty of tourists we have space to take beautiful photos and videos. There are even Korean cultural dance shows with photo opts afterwards. Behind this massive complex stands the mighty Mt. Baegaksan (a 342 m high granite mountain) a perfect background for your beautiful photos and videos. Some tourists rent traditional Hanbok dress, a traditional Korean clothes. Rental prices vary depending on the time starting at around 13K to 15K Won for about 4 hrs. It adds to the total experience you could get while walking around this historical palace not to mention it adds beauty to your photos and videos. Between 10 to 3 PM the traditional changing of the guards occur every hour which is a spectacle of Korean culture and tradition. We left at 5 PM which is also the closing time at this Eternal Grand Palace. It is my 2nd time to visit this but it still amazes me every time.
3. Seoul Museum of History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 310 reviews
Reviewed By R_A617 - Ayr, United Kingdom
Recently updated and free. 600 years of Seoul, very well divided into sections. Everything was helpfully in English with very well done brochures/guides for each section. We visited on a wet day - but spent much longer than intended. Definitely worth the visit.
4. Gahoe Museum
5. Seoul City Wall Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By sineadoc00
Located right next to the subway station at Dongdaemun, the museum and city wall don’t immediately stand out against the Seoul’s modern backdrop of cafés and commerce. However after climbing up one of Seoul’s trademark killer slopes, the Doseong Museum holds a treasure trove of historical information and objects, which show the incredibly rapid foundation and evolution of the city as seen through its surrounding wall. Built to demarcate the city of Seoul (at first named Hanyang) from the surrounding countryside, a local guide first showed us around the three floors of the City Wall Museum itself, which includes a range of interactive exhibits showing how the wall was built and rebuilt by different rulers over the years, before restoration began at the end of the twentieth century. Having had an overview of the construction of the wall, our guide took us out to trek up the wall to Namsan, stopping at points as we went along to point out how Seoul had expanded beyond the original limits of the city and showing us how the different brickwork that you could see on the wall corresponded to different eras of Korean history. Since 90% of the wall has been rebuilt, our guide told us it would take over ten hours to walk all the way around, so we only completed about an hour of the hike, which took us through some beautiful parts of the city, with really good views of the sprawl of the city as well as of the mountains which surround it. As someone who missed this tourist spot the first-time round, I would say this is a must-visit for any tourist coming to Korea and interested in Korean history. As long as the weather is good, visiting the museum and the wall is a great way to get in some exercise, see some amazing scenery and learn more about the transformation of the city. Picture creds: myself and Funday Korea.
6. Yoon Dongju Literary Museum
7. Cheongwadae Sarangchae
8. National Museum of Korean Contemporary History
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 120 reviews
Reviewed By KICon - Melbourne, Australia
Located within close proximity to a number of other Seoul highlights including the Bukchon Hanok village and Gyeongbokgung Palace, the free-entry Korean Contemporary History museum is an outstanding lesson in the country's at-times tragic history, tracing events from the start of the twentieth century as the country opened up to the world through international trade before a series of invasions, wars, the division of the north and south, the South Korean transformation into a manufacturing powerhouse, political uprisings and cultural shifts shaped the country we know today - all of which should prove an illuminating, melancholy and fascinating journey for the interested traveller. At the time of visiting, a temporary exhibition on the two decade history of the cellular phone in South Korea proved a fascinating step back in time. For me, this museum proved revelatory as I gained some insight into the war that my uncles fought in, came to understand how the division of north and south was characterised in popular culture, and learned how younger, educated Koreans rose up against politicians determined to seize power from the people. It is one thing to visit a museum; it is another thing to be changed by the experience.
9. The Story of King Sejong & The Story of Admiral Yi Sunshin
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By blairabroad2012 - Hong Kong, China
We saw the two statues and decided to explore further. Lovely little find - on our way to Gyeongbukgong Palace - all underground - and a great experience to learn more about Seoul's history. A great surprise and really fascinating!
10. Bukchon Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2 reviews
