Seoseo Seoul Museum Opening Special Exhibition 《Our Time Begins Here》

An art museum starting from 'Lot No. 0' — I went to see the first breath

Even when I hear that yet another art museum has opened in Seoul, I usually feel only mildly interested, but this time it was different. It is in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu — that is, not in the middle of Seoul, but at the far edge of the southwest area. Seoseoul Museum of Art, a municipal Seoul art museum, opened on March 12, 2026, and is the first public art museum in Seoul's southwest region as well as the city's first museum specialized in new media. The opening commemorative construction record exhibition is 《Our Time Begins Here》. The exhibition runs from March 12 to July 12, 2026, and admission is free.

What I found most interesting in this exhibition was the concept of 'Lot No. 0'. It refers to a place where the address has not yet been decided, a space that is nothing yet can simultaneously become anything. So instead of placing the works only inside the exhibition halls, they were scattered throughout in-between spaces that are not usually called 'display areas' — the museum's learning space, the lobby, the loading dock shutter, the lawn yard, and more. Because this exhibition interprets the museum's construction process itself and the time accumulated in the neighborhood of the southwest area as a 'record of memory,' as you walk around inside and outside the building looking for the works, you end up tracing the neighborhood's yesterday and today.

A building rippling like sun glitter, visible at a glance even from far away

Even before I arrived, the building caught my eye first. The exterior was built with curved stainless-steel panels, so when sunlight hits it, it looks like ripples shimmering on water. Designed by architect Kim Chan-joong (The System Lab) as a 'museum in the park,' it is directly connected to Geumnarae Central Park. Much of the outer wall is finished with transparent curtain-wall glass, creating an 'open museum' structure where you can look into the exhibition through the glass while walking along the path without even entering. Just walking around and looking at the building along the park trail already felt like I had seen an entire chapter.

This exhibition brings together five artists (or teams) working across multiple media such as photography, video, and augmented reality. The route begins in 'Studio 1' at the end of the narrow passage in the first-floor lobby and expands outdoors. The first room was a space that realized artist Shin Ji-seon's augmented-reality work as moving images, set against a vivid green light. Kim Tae-dong's 〈Seoseoul Museum of Art Construction Archive Project 2024-2026〉 is a work that captures in photographs the spatial changes revealed during the building's construction, as well as the labor and multicultural context embedded within it, so I spent quite a while looking through it. As you move around the lobby, exterior walls, and loading dock shutter in search of the works, you naturally become aware of the question, 'What time am I standing on right now?'

A foreign traveler's day — starting at Geumcheon-gu Office Station and ending in the park

First, the most reassuring point. This exhibition is free and can be entered on-site without advance reservation, so there is no need to worry about tickets selling out or payment.

However, docents (gallery interpretation tours) operate every day at 11:00 a.m., except on opening day and every Monday, so if you want to hear the explanation, I recommend going at that time.

Getting there is surprisingly easy. It is a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Geumcheon-gu Office Station on Subway Line 1. Line 1 is also convenient if you are transferring from the Incheon Airport side, and because the route is simple, it is unlikely you will get lost. If you come by car, there is parking, and the fee is 250 KRW per 5 minutes, with a daily maximum of 24,000 KRW. Operating hours are Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on weekends and public holidays until 7:00 p.m. in the summer season (March to October) and until 6:00 p.m. in the winter season (November to February). Since admission closes before the end of viewing hours, it is better not to arrive too late. It is closed on Mondays, but if Monday is a public holiday, it opens as usual, so if you are planning a Monday visit, just check that point.

You may worry about language on-site, but because the exhibition itself focuses on photography, video, and augmented reality, you can still enjoy it fully by atmosphere even if you don't read all the text. If you want to see more of the written explanations, having a translation app open on your phone will put you at ease. In terms of convenience, there are lockers, wheelchair and stroller rentals, and elevators, so visitors with lots of luggage or mobility difficulties should have no trouble. After finishing the visit, you can take a walk in the adjacent Geumnarae Central Park or rest at the first-floor lobby cafe, then walk back out to Geumcheon-gu Office Station. Since the station is so close, it is a route where you hardly need to worry about the last train.

Things worth knowing in advance so you don't get lost

The charm — and the trap — of this museum is that the works are hidden in 'in-between spaces.' Unlike a typical exhibition that you see in one straight line, the pieces are scattered across the lobby, exterior walls, loading dock shutter, and lawn yard, so it is easy to pass them by without noticing. That is why I recommend asking the information desk about the locations of the works when you enter and planning your route first.

• Since there are outdoor works, bring an umbrella on rainy days, and comfortable shoes are best because the paths connected to the park are wide and easy to walk.
• Docent tours run at 11:00 a.m. (except opening day and Mondays), so if you want an explanation, plan a morning visit.
• Around the same time, the museum is also showing the performance exhibition 〈Breath〉 and the new media collection exhibition 《Transparent |Youth| Machine of Seoseoul》. The schedule differs by session, so check the official page in advance to see what is open on your visit date.

To be honest, because it is located on the outskirts compared with museums in the city center, it is hard to expect 'other nearby attractions while you're there.' But that is also what makes it a place where you can enjoy art quietly, like taking a neighborhood stroll.

So who would I recommend it to?

It is perfect for people who want to experience a museum embedded in the daily movement of locals rather than in a crowded tourist district, and for people who enjoy new media art such as video and augmented reality. Admission is free, it is only 3 minutes from the station, and there is a park right next to it, so it is great for a light half-day outing. The feeling of witnessing the 'first breath' of a newly born museum together — that is what stayed with me the longest.