Discover Incheon’s Layers of Time at the Incheon Metropolitan City Museum

How the First Public Museum, Opened in 1946, Became What It Is Today

The Incheon Metropolitan City Museum is Korea’s first public museum, opened in 1946. After its building was destroyed during the Korean War, it reopened in 1953, moved to its current location and reopened in 1990, and underwent remodeling before reopening again in 2006.

The current building has one basement level and three above-ground floors. Since the museum’s role is to investigate, research, and exhibit the local history and cultural heritage of Incheon, its focus is on understanding Incheon’s history chronologically rather than covering artifacts from across the country as broadly as large national museums in the Seoul metropolitan area do.

Following the History from Prehistoric Times to the End of Goryeo in History Gallery 1 on the First Floor

Upon entering, you can plan your route around the information desk on the first floor. The first floor has History Gallery 1, Seoknam Hall, the Library and Materials Room, and the Coffee with In Café. History Gallery 1 displays major artifacts from the Incheon area dating from prehistoric times to the end of the Goryeo period.

After viewing Incheon’s early history through the Goryeo period first, going up to the second floor allows you to follow the chronological sequence without interruption. There are separate men’s and women’s restrooms on the first floor, but according to the visitor information, the women’s restroom is on the first floor and the men’s restroom is on the second floor, so checking the locations in advance with your companions can help avoid confusion on site.

History Gallery 2 and the Immersive Video Rooms on the Second Floor Have Different Hours

History Gallery 2 on the second floor displays major artifacts from the Incheon area dating from the Joseon period to modern times. A photo zone recreating a modern-era street is also located in History Gallery 2, so visitors expecting only a continuous series of display cases should make a point of looking for this space.

In addition to History Gallery 2, the second floor has Immersive Video Rooms 1 and 2, a special exhibition room, an activity classroom, and a seminar room. Museum visiting hours are 09:00–18:00, with admission allowed until 17:30, but the Immersive Video Rooms operate only from 10:00–17:00 and close for lunch from 12:00–13:00. If watching the videos is your main purpose, it is safest to plan to arrive after 10 a.m.

Comparing Artifact Materials and Paintings in the Craft and Painting & Calligraphy Galleries on the Third Floor

The third floor has the Ancient Art Gallery, the Donations Gallery, the Volunteer Room, and the Sunset Room. In the Craft Gallery, you can see pottery from the Three Kingdoms period, Goryeo celadon, Joseon white porcelain, and buncheong ware, as well as woodcraft and metalcraft from the late Joseon period and modern times.

The Painting and Calligraphy Gallery displays paintings and calligraphic works from the late Joseon period through the modern and contemporary eras, including works related to Kim Hong-do, Kang Se-hwang, and Heungseon Daewongun. The Donations Gallery selectively exhibits artifacts donated or entrusted to the museum, so its exhibition criteria differ from those of the permanent history galleries.

The 1910s–1930s Shown by the Paper and Glass Materials of Geumgyerap

Geumgyerap is an artifact in the collection consisting of materials related to Korea, Japan, and Germany, dating from the 1910s–1930s. Its materials are recorded as paper and glass, allowing visitors to examine it differently from ceramics or paintings when viewing modern-era everyday-life materials.

Geumgyerap measures 8 × 10.1 cm, and the bottle heights are 14.1 cm and 14.3 cm. Its collection locations are listed as History Gallery 2 and the museum storage area of the Incheon Metropolitan City Museum, so rather than assuming that the artifact is always displayed in the same way, it is more accurate to focus on it as an item that can be encountered in the History Gallery 2 exhibition.

Head Outside to Uhyeon Yard and an Old Suin Line Carriage After the Indoor Exhibitions

The outdoor facilities include Uhyeon Yard, a parking lot, and an outdoor exhibition area. The outdoor exhibition area displays dolmens, a three-story stone pagoda, and a monument to shipwreck victims, so continuing to the outdoor artifacts after viewing the chronological indoor exhibitions broadens the scope of your visit.

An old narrow-gauge Suin Line carriage containing memories of Incheon citizens is also displayed outdoors. A simple lift is installed in the narrow-gauge carriage, so wheelchair users can receive assistance accessing the outdoor exhibit. The Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall is right next door, making it possible to visit both places on the same itinerary.

Take a Bus for the Final 5–10 Minutes from Dongmak, Juan, or Songdo Station

The address is 26 Cheongnyang-ro 160beon-gil, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. The official directions include getting off at Dongmak Station on Incheon Subway Line 1, transferring to Bus 8, getting off at Songdo Yuwonji, and walking for 10 minutes. From Juan Station on Subway Line 1, transfer to Bus 65-1, get off at Chukhyeon Elementary School, and walk for 5 minutes.

From Songdo Station on the Suin Line, take Bus 16 or 521, get off at Chukhyeon Elementary School, and walk for 5 minutes. If using only buses, Village Bus 16, 65-1, or 523 requires getting off at Chukhyeon Elementary School and walking for 5 minutes; Bus 8, 9, or Incheon International Airport Bus 111-2 requires getting off at Songdo Yuwonji and walking for 10 minutes. Since exit numbers for the stations were not confirmed in the official directions, it is more suitable to enter the stop name into a map app rather than navigate based on a presumed exit number.

Free Admission, a 34-Space Parking Lot, and What Foreign Visitors Should Prepare

Admission is free. Visiting hours are 09:00–18:00, with entry closing at 17:30. Regular closing days are every Monday, except when Monday is a public holiday, and January 1. The visitor information phone number is 032-440-6750, and the official website is https://www.incheon.go.kr/museum. Volunteer exhibition interpretation is available from 10:00–17:00.

The parking lot can be used all day, 24 hours a day, has 34 spaces, and is free. Based on visitor reviews, the visit is generally described as taking about 30 minutes to 1 hour, but it is better to allow more time if you plan to see all the history galleries, the Immersive Video Rooms, and the outdoor exhibition area. The main entrance has an automatic door. Two wheelchairs and two strollers are available free of charge, and the elevator can accommodate two wheelchairs.

Braille blocks and tactile guidance are installed around the stairs, elevator, and restrooms, and the lobby has Braille promotional materials and signs. Audio guides are available, and staff who can converse in English, Japanese, and Chinese are included in the visitor assistance service. Assistance dogs are permitted, but ordinary pets are not. Information on photography prohibitions, flash and tripod restrictions, and whether payment is cash-only was not confirmed in the official visitor information.