Start! Hanyang Exploration Team

A 600-year time trip to Hanseong with a 'Paerongi' around your neck

In the middle of Seoul, next to Gyeonghui Palace, stands the Seoul Museum of History. One side of the first floor has been entirely transformed into a space for children. 〈Departure! Hanseong Exploration Team〉 is an interactive history playground where you travel back in time to Hanseong, the capital of the Joseon dynasty. With 13 corners across three courses - science, education, and jobs - kids do more than just 'look around'; they solve missions themselves as they move through the space. The key is a mission guide device called 'Paerongi': hang it around your neck at the entrance, and it helps you roam through the exhibition rooms while independently completing tasks. As you learn calculation methods, make medicine at Hyeminseo, and practice martial arts at Hunryeonwon, you naturally absorb Seoul's history by mimicking a day in the life of Hanseong residents. Opening hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last admission 5:30 p.m.), and the museum is closed every Monday and on January 1. Best of all, admission is free, which is especially welcome for foreign families.

No need to make a wasted trip — advance reservation is required

First and foremost, and most importantly, is the reservation. Although admission is free, on-site ticketing is not available. You must reserve online in advance and enter with a mobile ticket. Reservations open at 12:00 a.m. 14 days before the visit date, up to 5 tickets at a time, and each person can make only one reservation per day. On weekends and public holidays, only individual reservations are accepted, so popular time slots fill up faster than you might expect. If your Korea travel schedule is set, I recommend booking as soon as the reservations open at midnight 14 days in advance.

There are a few things to keep in mind when reserving. Babies under 36 months must still be counted in the reservation, and adults without children or children without a guardian may be restricted from entering. Also, if you do not enter within 30 minutes after the session starts, the reservation is automatically canceled, and if you do not show up without canceling, reservations may be blocked for a while, so be sure to keep the time. Since it is free, it is easy to take it lightly, but no-shows can make a future visit difficult.

A foreign family's day — 7 minutes from Gwanghwamun Station to the museum

The easiest way to get there is via Subway Line 5. Exit Gwanghwamun Station from Exit 7, walk 470 m toward Seodaemun Station, and in about 7 minutes you will reach the museum. Alternatively, you can come from Seodaemun Station Exit 4; it is 600 m and about an 8-minute walk, so either way is convenient. The path is flat and follows major roads, so it was easy even with a stroller. Enter through the museum's main gate, check in your mobile ticket at the entrance to the Children's Museum on the first floor, and hang Paerongi around your neck to begin the exploration.

As for language, I cannot say for certain how much English guidance the Children's Museum itself provides, but because the experience is based on 'looking, touching, and moving,' children can follow along without much trouble even if they do not understand every word. Even better is the permanent exhibition on the upper floor of the same building. The Seoul Museum of History's main exhibition panels are in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese, and you can borrow an audio guide for free by leaving your ID at the information desk on the first floor. So if the child solves Hanseong missions on the first floor while the parents tour the exhibitions on Seoul's modern and contemporary history upstairs in English, it works well for the whole family.

Practical tips worth knowing before you go

It goes much smoother if you keep a few things in mind. First, you cannot eat inside the museum, so leave the lunch box behind. Lunch is best handled after leaving the museum at the restaurant area near Gwanghwamun. Also, since it operates by sessions, it is more comfortable to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to finish ticket verification and receive Paerongi before your allotted time.

• Reservations open at 12:00 a.m. 14 days before the visit date; on weekends, only individual reservations are available — popular time slots fill up fast
• No on-site ticketing; mobile ticket required / babies under 36 months must also be included in the reservation count
• Admission is free, and the audio guide for the main building can be borrowed for free by leaving an ID
• Indoor exhibition, so it is a good indoor course for rainy, hot, or cold days

Another advantage is that it is indoors, so weather has little impact. If rain is forecast, shifting your schedule here can safely fill the day. If you want to check the detailed session-by-session usage times for the day, take a look at the official reservation page before you visit.

So who is it good for?

It is a great fit for families traveling in Seoul with elementary school-aged children or kids of that age, especially those who want to experience Korean history like a game indoors on rainy days or in the middle of summer or winter. Being free and right in the heart of the city, it also pairs well with a half-day course combining Gyeonghui Palace, Donuimun Museum Village, and Gwanghwamun. When a child with Paerongi around their neck leads the way, clearing each mission one by one and asking, 'Where are we going this time?' parents will feel as if they are walking the alleys of Hanseong too.