Walking Through the Storage Vaults of the Former Tobacco Factory at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Cheongju

How the 2018 Tobacco Manufacturing Plant Became a Collection Storage Museum

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Cheongju, opened its doors on December 27, 2018, becoming the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s fourth branch after Gwacheon, Deoksugung, and Seoul. The project ran from 2012 to 2018, with a total project cost of 50.8 billion won.

The building was created by remodeling the former Cheongju Tobacco Manufacturing Plant over two years. As a tobacco production facility was transformed into a space for storing and managing artworks, the Cheongju branch acquired its current character as a collection storage museum specializing not only in exhibitions but also in the storage and preservation of artworks. According to the project overview, the site area is 108,257㎡, the total floor area is 19,865㎡, and the building has five above-ground floors.

Take Bus 511 or 517 from Osong Station to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Stop

If departing from Osong Station operated by Korail, you can take Bus 511 or 517 and get off at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art stop. The walk from the stop to the nearby Cultural Industry Complex takes approximately five minutes.

From Cheongju International Airport, you can take Bus 747 toward Bihadong or Bus 407 toward Sintanjin and get off at the Cultural Industry Complex stop. From in front of the express bus terminal in Gagyeong-dong, Cheongju, you can take Buses 511, 516, or 517; from in front of the intercity bus terminal, you can take Bus 105 or 747. From the Northern Bus Terminal, it is a 784-meter walk of approximately 12 minutes to the Cheongju Culture Industry Promotion Foundation.

From in front of Cheongju University, you can also take Bus 511 or 516 and get off at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art stop. After arrival, you should check the floor-by-floor circulation route inside the building, so if you plan to see the fifth-floor exhibition, it is better to arrive with plenty of time before the admission deadline.

Open from 10:00 to 18:00, with Admission Ending at 17:00

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Cheongju, is open from 10:00 to 18:00 Tuesday through Sunday, with admission ending at 17:00. Regular closing days are every Monday and January 1, so the museum’s interior galleries cannot be visited if you schedule your Cheongju itinerary for a Monday.

As of 2026, the official admission fees are free for the storage facilities on floors 1 through 4 and 2,000 won for the special exhibition gallery on the fifth floor. Visitors who purchase a ticket for the fifth-floor special exhibition gallery may also visit floors 1 through 4, while group reservations for 20 or more people cost 1,600 won per person.

The last Wednesday of every month is Culture Day, when admission is free. The main telephone number is 043-261-1400, and operating hours, closing days, and exhibition changes can be checked on the official website.

Open Storage Facilities Actually Accessible on the First and Third Floors

The museum’s highlight is Korea’s first open storage facility. Open storage areas are located on the first and third floors, while visible storage areas are arranged on the second and third floors. Rather than allowing entry into all storage spaces as in a regular exhibition hall, the museum divides them into publicly accessible areas and areas viewed through glass windows, which is important to understand beforehand.

In the visible storage areas, visitors can observe the storage and preservation conditions of representative works through glass windows. This is not an experience involving touching artworks up close or entering the storage rooms; instead, it is structured as an opportunity to view the storage and management environment.

The Conservation Science Lab Is Visible Only from 13:00 to 15:00, Tuesday through Friday

On the third floor, the visible conservation science laboratory includes the Oil Painting Conservation Treatment Room and three organic and inorganic analysis rooms. Unlike an exhibition space, this is a place where visitors can observe the museum’s work analyzing and conserving the condition of its collection.

As of 2026, it is open Tuesday through Friday from 13:00 to 15:00, once a day. It is not operated on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, or museum closing days, so weekend visitors cannot see this space.

If visiting the conservation science lab is part of your itinerary, you should arrange to reach the third floor between 13:00 and 15:00. A more specific route would be to enter in the morning, view the storage facilities first, and then visit the conservation science lab in the afternoon.

Restrictions at the Third-Floor Larchiveum and Fourth-Floor Special Storage Facility

“Larchiveum” is a name combining Library, Archive, and Museum. Materials inside can be viewed freely, but operating hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 to 17:30, with a break from 12:00 to 13:00.

The Larchiveum is closed every Monday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday. Therefore, visitors may be confused on site because the Larchiveum cannot be used even on Sundays when the museum as a whole is open.

The fourth-floor special storage facility stores and manages approximately 1,600 works collected by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art since 1971. However, as of 2026, the special storage facility operates during separately designated periods depending on the museum’s circumstances, so it should not be considered an area that is open year-round.

The Fifth-Floor Special Exhibition Gallery Requires a Separate Fee

The fifth-floor special exhibition gallery presents themed exhibitions of works from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art collection, as well as special exhibitions surveying modern and contemporary art from Korea and abroad. Unlike the free storage facilities on floors 1 through 4, admission costs 2,000 won, and this ticket also allows access to floors 1 through 4.

The current exhibition title and exhibition period change depending on the season. Therefore, it is best to decide before admission whether to view only the free storage facilities or pay 2,000 won to include the fifth-floor exhibition. Admission ends at 17:00, which does not mean that visitors may enter the building until 18:00.

Information on whether photography is permitted, exhibition-specific photography restrictions, and the availability of English information or audio guides could not be confirmed in the official materials. If you plan to photograph artworks, follow the instructions for each gallery, and it is safest not to assume that photography is allowed.

Cultural Manufacturing Plant C Integrated Parking Lot and Wheelchair Information

Visitors arriving by car can use the Cultural Manufacturing Plant C Integrated Parking Lot at 30 Deokbeol-ro, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do. The parking lot operates 24 hours a day and has space for approximately 1,000 vehicles.

Parking is free for the first two hours, costs 500 won for stays of up to two and a half hours, and costs 5,000 won for a full day. Card payment only is accepted; cash payments are not available. The parking lot inquiry number is 043-219-1041.

Wheelchair users can access all areas of the museum, which is equipped with elevators and ramps for visitors with mobility needs. Three manual wheelchairs can be borrowed at the coatroom desk on the first floor, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom is available on the first floor. Admission is free for people with disabilities and their accompanying guardians.

Visitor Route from the First-Floor Lobby to Art Shop Cheongju

For first-time visitors, an easy-to-follow route is to receive information in the first-floor lobby, see the open storage facility on the first floor, pass through the visible storage facilities on the second and third floors, and then move to the third-floor Larchiveum. From Tuesday through Friday, you can add the visible conservation science lab on the third floor between 13:00 and 15:00.

The fourth-floor special storage facility may operate during separately designated periods, and the fifth-floor special exhibition gallery requires a 2,000-won ticket. Therefore, do not assume that all floors are always open in the same way; plan separately for the free viewing areas on floors 1 through 4 and the paid exhibition on the fifth floor.

Art Shop Cheongju is located in the first-floor lobby, and its inquiry number is 043-211-9871. The museum address is 314 Sangdang-ro, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do (201-1 Naedeok 2-dong), postal code 28501.