From the 93 m Hanbit Tower to Expo Bridge: Exploring Daejeon’s Science Cityscape

The 93m Symbol Left by the 1993 Daejeon Expo

Hanbit Tower is a landmark structure built to commemorate the 1993 Daejeon Expo. It stands 93m tall and expresses the will to leap toward the future, using light science and space as its motifs.

Today, Hanbit Tower is an observatory-style sculpture within Expo Science Park. The Expo’s memories as a venue for science and technology events continue through exhibition, observation, and plaza spaces, making it a place to view not only the tower itself but also the surrounding Mulbit Plaza and Expo Bridge.

Free Admission from 09:30 to 17:40; Closed on Mondays

The operating hours for the exhibition halls and Hanbit Tower at Expo Science Park are 09:30–17:40, while commercial establishments in the exhibition halls are reported to operate until 21:30. Admission is free. The regular closing days are every Monday, January 1, Lunar New Year’s Day, and Chuseok Day.

Although the information also lists the admission cutoff as 21:30, the operating hours for the exhibition halls and Hanbit Tower are given as 17:40, so the two times differ. Visitors arriving late in the evening should plan around the plaza’s nighttime scenery rather than viewing the inside of Hanbit Tower. For inquiries, contact Expo Science Park at 042-250-1111. The official website is http://www.djto.kr/.

• Address: 480 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon
• Admission: Listed as free
• Closed: Every Monday, January 1, Lunar New Year’s Day, and Chuseok Day
• Inquiries: 042-250-1111

How to Find the Entrance Using 145m as a Reference After Getting off the Bus

The stop number for Hanbit Tower Bus Stop is 43260. Routes serving this stop include 121, 705, 707, 911, and Special District 1. Travelers unfamiliar with their departure point in Daejeon can search a map app for “Hanbit Tower Bus Stop 43260” instead of simply searching for Hanbit Tower, making it easier to distinguish the correct drop-off point.

Alternative stops include DCC Terminus, reported to be about 145m from Hanbit Tower, and Smart City Complex 2, about 200m away. Hanbit Tower can be accessed from Yudeung-ro and Daedeok-daero via Expo-ro. From DCC Terminus, visitors can take a short walk and then head toward Expo Science Park.

• Hanbit Tower bus stop number: 43260
• Routes served: 121·705·707·911·Special District 1
• DCC Terminus: About 145m
• Smart City Complex 2: About 200m

One Hour of Free Parking, Then Postpaid Card Settlement

Hanbit Tower is reported to have parking facilities. Parking at Expo Science Park is free for the first hour, after which the fee is 500 won per 30 minutes, with a daily maximum of 5,000 won.

Parking fees are handled through postpaid card settlement, so it is better to bring a card that can be used for payment rather than relying only on cash. Vehicles for national merit recipients and vehicles for people with disabilities are eligible for a 50% parking discount, and staff assistance is reportedly required. The available number of parking spaces and the exact route from the parking area to Hanbit Tower could not be confirmed in publicly available information.

• First hour: Free
• Afterward: 500 won per 30 minutes
• Daily maximum: 5,000 won
• Payment: Postpaid card settlement
• Vehicles for national merit recipients and people with disabilities: 50% discount; staff assistance required

Front-Facing Glass Elevator and Café Vino Views from the Second Floor

Hanbit Tower is a sculpture with an observation-deck function, and the elevator can accommodate 20 people at a time. The front of the elevator has glass windows, allowing passengers to see the surrounding scenery while ascending.

Hanbit Square Café Vino is located on the second-floor observatory. According to Daejeon City information, Café Vino’s operating hours in February 2026 are Tuesday–Friday 13:00–21:00 and Saturday–Sunday 10:00–22:00, with regular closure every Monday. Café Vino’s telephone number is 0507-1372-3353.

The observation area is a circular structure surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, offering 360-degree views. Visitors can see Gapcheon, Expo Bridge, Expo Science Park, Hanbat Arboretum, and downtown Daejeon at a glance.

• Elevator capacity: 20 people at a time
• Café Vino, Tuesday–Friday: 13:00–21:00
• Café Vino, Saturday–Sunday: 10:00–22:00
• Café Vino closed: Every Monday
• Café Vino telephone: 0507-1372-3353

Easy-to-Miss Points in the First-Floor Exhibition Room and Observatory

The first-floor exhibition room at Hanbit Tower displays photographs of major tourist attractions symbolizing Daejeon, along with audiovisual materials. Rather than photographing only the exterior and leaving, it is easier to connect the symbolism of the Daejeon Expo with the present-day scenery by visiting the first-floor exhibition room before taking the elevator to the observatory.

A visitor review from December 2025 mentioned a skywalk section inside the observatory with part of the floor made of transparent glass. The same review said that visitors took the elevator to the second floor and used the circular observatory, but publicly available information did not confirm specific routes for wheelchairs and strollers, restroom accessibility, or whether English guidance and audio guides are available.

A review mentioned that viewing the Hanbit Tower observatory takes about 40 minutes. Adding time for Café Vino or a walk around Mulbit Plaza can extend the visit, so it is best to plan separately for viewing only the interior and for combining it with the surrounding area.

An Evening Route from the 180m Mulbit Plaza to Expo Bridge

Mulbit Plaza, which extends from Hanbit Tower to Expo Bridge, is 180m long and 70m wide. Shade shelters are arranged on both sides around the central plaza, providing places to rest briefly before or after visiting the observatory.

A musical fountain in the form of a ground fountain has been installed in front of Hanbit Tower. In an information example from 2024, the musical fountain was used as a plaza when not operating and as a children’s water-play area in summer. There have been examples of shows opening approximately once every hour, with the water streams moving in time with music.

Cross the crosswalk from the plaza to reach Expo Bridge, an arch-shaped structure spanning Gapcheon. After crossing the bridge, visitors can reach Hanbat Arboretum, allowing the Hanbit Tower visit and riverside walk to be combined into one route.

• Mulbit Plaza size: 180m long, 70m wide
• Plaza facilities: Shade shelters and ground fountain
• Connecting route: Hanbit Tower Mulbit Plaza → Crosswalk → Expo Bridge
• Beyond Expo Bridge: Hanbat Arboretum

The 20:30 and 21:30 Media Facade Shows Are Specific Operating Examples

The Hanbit Tower media facade is a nighttime performance that projects lighting onto Hanbit Tower and Mulbit Plaza. In an operating example from 2024, it took place twice, at 20:30 and 21:30.

However, these times are from a 2024 example, and the exact 2026 media facade schedule could not be confirmed in publicly available information. Therefore, it is best to plan daytime visits around the interior viewing hours of 09:30–17:40 and treat the plaza and light performances as a separate nighttime itinerary.

Events are held year-round in the Hanbit Tower plaza, including a beer festival as an example of a summer event. The instantaneous maximum admission may vary on event days. During an event on November 30, 2025, Hanbit Tower opened at 13:00, and the instantaneous maximum admission was 100 people.

Places Around Expo Science Park to Combine with Hanbit Tower

Hanbit Tower is located inside Expo Science Park, which is surrounded by Daejeon Shinsegae Art&Science, the National Science Museum, Daejeon Convention Center, and Hanbat Arboretum. If you want to experience both science and city views, adding the National Science Museum after visiting the first-floor exhibition room and observatory is a suitable plan.

If you prefer outdoor scenery, move from Mulbit Plaza to Expo Bridge, cross Gapcheon, and continue to Hanbat Arboretum. Daejeon Shinsegae Art&Science and Daejeon Convention Center are other options near Hanbit Tower, so they can replace the plaza itinerary on days when indoor activities are preferable.

For a quick visit to Hanbit Tower alone, reviews mention approximately 40 minutes, but Café Vino operates from 13:00–21:00 on weekdays and 10:00–22:00 on weekends. Adding Mulbit Plaza and Expo Bridge makes a half-day itinerary more realistic.

• Science exhibition connection: National Science Museum
• Riverside walk connection: Expo Bridge and Hanbat Arboretum
• Nearby facilities: Daejeon Shinsegae Art&Science, Daejeon Convention Center
• Short visit: About 40 minutes