From the Glasshouse to the Laboratory: Visitor Route and Preparation Information for the Daejeon Insect Ecology Center

Why It Opened in October 2016 Inside Hanbat Arboretum

Daejeon Insect Ecology Center was established inside Hanbat Arboretum, where science, culture, and nature come together, and opened in October 2016. Its establishment was based on the goal of providing citizens with new knowledge and awareness about insects.

Rather than being merely an exhibition hall, it conducts research on educational and pet insects and supports research and development, learning, and education for the industrialization of insect resources. It surpassed 60,000 visitors on December 31, 2016, and 270,000 visitors on December 31, 2017.

Free Admission and Visiting Hours from 10:00 to 17:00

As of August 2026, the Daejeon Insect Ecology Center is open from 10:00 to 17:00, with the same hours in winter and summer. General admission is free, while educational programs are announced separately.

The center is closed every Monday, and when Monday is a public holiday, it closes the following day. It is also closed on January 1 and during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, so even for a free facility, check that your holiday schedule does not coincide with closure dates. The main telephone number is 042-270-5274, and the inquiry number is 042-270-5272.

• Opening hours: 10:00~17:00
• General admission: Free
• Closed: Every Monday; the following day when Monday is a public holiday; January 1; Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays

Finding the Actual Entrance at 191 Dunsan-daero

The address is 191 Dunsan-daero, Seo-gu, Daejeon, postal code 35204, inside Hanbat Arboretum. The building is located between Pyeongsong Youth Culture Center and Daejeon Municipal Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center, and visitors are directed to use the passageway between the two facilities.

When traveling by bus, the Natural Monument Center bus stop is approximately 313 m from the ecology center and is served by bus 618. The Hanbat Arboretum bus stop number is 34-740; buses 606, 618, and 911 can be used, followed by a 4–5-minute walk. The Daejeon Arts Center bus stop number is 32-380; take the same buses 606, 618, or 911, followed by a 7–8-minute walk.

• Natural Monument Center bus stop: Approximately 313 m, bus 618
• Hanbat Arboretum bus stop: 34-740, buses 606, 618, and 911, 4–5 minutes on foot
• Daejeon Arts Center bus stop: 32-380, buses 606, 618, and 911, 7–8 minutes on foot

Parking Behind Daejeon Municipal Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center and Stroller Notes

If you travel by car, parking is available behind the Daejeon Municipal Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center building. However, the available information does not confirm parking fees or the number of spaces, so this may not suit an itinerary that assumes a parking space can definitely be secured.

Inside the facility, kick scooters and strollers must be left safely at the entrance before viewing the exhibits. Shoes with wheels cannot be worn inside, and smoking, bringing in food or drinks, and entering with pets are prohibited. Visitors with strollers should therefore consider from the entrance whether their child can walk.

• Parking location: Behind the Daejeon Municipal Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center building
• Items that must be left at the entrance: Kick scooters and strollers
• Prohibited: Shoes with wheels, smoking, food and drinks, and pets

Tour Order Beginning at the Ecological Glasshouse on the Left of the Lobby

The official tour route begins at the ecological glasshouse to the left of the lobby entrance and continues to the promotional hall. Visitor reviews note that the first-floor ecological glasshouse offers close-up views of butterflies, rhinoceros beetles, carnivorous plants, caterpillars, and other subjects.

Reviews state that the promotional hall features insect specimens and explanations of insect characteristics, growth processes, and ecology. The first floor also has an interactive video experience hall, where visitors can experience the sight of fireflies flying through video even without seeing real fireflies.

Research and Rearing Areas on the Second Floor Beyond the Glass Windows

Visitor reviews record that the second floor includes not only exhibition rooms but also spaces for researching and rearing insects. All the laboratories have glass windows, allowing visitors to observe staff managing insects from outside; this is noted as a distinctive feature.

Rather than understanding this as an experiential facility where visitors can freely enter every area, it is more accurate to view it as a place centered on public exhibitions and observation through glass windows. Do not touch or climb on exhibits. Anyone who destroys or damages facilities may be held responsible for compensation.

Experiential Programs That Vary from Tuesday to Saturday

Experiential programs for preschool children operate on weekdays from Tuesday through Friday at the education room on the first floor of the insect ecology center. Participation is free, but materials fees apply, and each session accommodates approximately 20 participants. The programs include an ecology center interpretation, making insect necklaces, works using traditional Korean paper, rhinoceros beetles, stag beetles, insect frames, and insect soap.

Family experiential programs take place on Saturdays in the first-floor education room. Participation is free, but materials fees apply. The program consists of making insect models using blades of grass. Separately, insect ecology center interpretation programs operate from Wednesday through Friday and cover the first-floor glasshouse, promotional hall, and second floor. Groups of 7 to 20 preschool, elementary, or middle school students may participate, led by an in-house ecology center interpreter.

• Preschool experience: Tuesday–Friday, first-floor education room, approximately 20 participants, free participation with a materials fee
• Family experience: Saturday, first-floor education room, grass-blade insect models, free participation with a materials fee
• Group interpretation: Wednesday–Friday, 7–20 participants, first-floor glasshouse, promotional hall, and second floor, free

On-Site Rules to Follow During a 50-Minute to One-Hour Visit

Daejeon City's recommended route introduces the viewing time for the Daejeon Insect Ecology Center as approximately 50 minutes to one hour. If you combine it with Hanbat Arboretum and the Natural Monument Center, allow separate time for the ecology center itself and for the overall travel between sites.

Inside the ecology center, visitors must not shout or run. Entry may be refused if visitors disturb others or fail to follow staff guidance or instructions. The available information does not confirm whether English Information or audio guides are available, whether photography is prohibited, the extent of wheelchair access, or bus intervals. International visitors should therefore contact the official website or call 042-270-5272 to ask about anything they need. The official website is the Daejeon Insect Ecology Center website.

• Recommended viewing time: Approximately 50 minutes to one hour
• Group visits: Weekday visits are possible without a reservation
• 注意: Do not touch or climb on exhibits; indoor food and drinks and smoking are prohibited

Checking the 2019 Artificial Breeding and Seasonal Special Exhibitions

In March 2019, the Daejeon Insect Ecology Center succeeded in artificially breeding the endangered wild species giant water bug and two-spotted stag beetle. When viewing the exhibitions, this helps visitors understand that the facility is not only a place to display insects but also an institution that conducts research on educational and pet insects and research and development involving insect resources.

In the past, the first Exciting Insect Ecology School was held in September 2017, and the first Butterfly and Firefly Exhibition took place in June 2018. In 2026, a notice for a special butterfly exhibition was posted on May 16, and a firefly light experience was held from July 24 to August 17. Special exhibitions are not permanent, so check separately which programs and exhibitions are available on your visit date.