Gyeongju Bird Park: Enter a Space Shared with Birds

Opened inside Donggungwon in 2013 as Korea’s first hands-on bird and flower garden

Gyeongju Bird Park is a privately operated facility built inside Gyeongju Donggungwon. Gyeongju Donggungwon opened in September 2013 and consists of Donggung Botanical Garden, experience facilities, and Bird Park across a total site area of 64,830㎡.

Bird Park is introduced as Korea’s first hands-on bird and flower garden. According to the official information, 250 species and 3,000 birds are displayed. It is the largest facility in Korea housed in a single building and is registered as Gyeongsangbuk-do’s first specialized zoo and museum. It is therefore better understood as an indoor facility where visitors can encounter animals up close than as an outdoor park where birds are viewed from a distance.

Open from 10:00 to 19:00, with last admission at 18:00

As of 2026, operating hours are 10:00–19:00, with last admission at 18:00. The facility is listed as open year-round, so Bird Park can also be visited on Mondays. However, the official information states that opening hours may change during the peak vacation season.

The officially recommended visit duration is approximately two hours. If you plan to see the Bird Experience Hall and Aquarium and Reptile Hall on the first floor and continue to the experience facilities on the second floor, it is more appropriate to allow two hours rather than make a brief photo-focused visit. Operating-hours inquiries can be made at 054-777-7200, while the main Donggungwon number is 054-779-8725.

Adults: 20,000 won; group rates apply from 30 people

As of 2026, the individual admission fee for middle school students and older through adults is 20,000 won, or 15,000 won for groups. Children from 24 months through elementary school age pay 15,000 won individually or 10,000 won in groups, while infants under 24 months enter free. Visitors must present identification to receive free admission for infants.

Gyeongju residents pay 13,000 won individually or 10,000 won in groups. The group rate applies to groups of 30 or more, and visitors eligible for discounts are not counted toward the group total. Seniors, people with disabilities, and national merit recipients receive the child rate at Bird Park, so it is advisable to bring the relevant identification.

• Adults: 20,000 won individually · 15,000 won for groups
• Children: 15,000 won individually · 10,000 won for groups
• Gyeongju residents: 13,000 won individually · 10,000 won for groups

Direct bus 700 from Singyeongju Station; five routes from the terminal

If you are traveling by KTX, the direct option is to take bus 700 from Singyeongju Station. Alternatively, take bus 60 or 61 from Singyeongju Station, get off at Palwoojeong Bus Stop, and transfer to bus 10, 16, or 100-1. Check the route app on the day of travel for bus intervals and the exact location of the stop.

From Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal, buses 10, 16, 18, 100-1, and 700 are available at the stop across the street. At Gyeongju Station, the same five routes can be taken from the Gyeongju Post Office stop across the street. The address is 74-14 Bomun-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, postal code 38117, approximately 15 minutes from Gyeongju IC toward Bomun Tourist Complex.

Free dedicated parking and wheelchair and stroller rentals

The dedicated Bird Park parking lot is free, and parking is available for large buses. Since the number of parking spaces is not specified, groups arriving by bus should consider adjusting their arrival time.

Wheelchairs and spare strollers can be rented free of charge at the ticket booth and information desk by the main entrance. Identification is required for rentals. However, the exact distance and slope of the viewing routes are not provided, so visitors using mobility aids should ask about the route at 054-777-7200 before entering.

The first floor combines parrots, an aquarium, and a reptile hall

The Ecology Experience Hall on the first floor includes a Bird Experience Hall where visitors can see sun conures, channel-billed toucans, scarlet macaws, and other birds. The Tropical Aquarium features catfish, pacu, gar, piranhas, and more, while the Reptile Hall has turtles, iguanas, snakes, and other reptiles, so this is not a facility devoted only to birds.

The other animal area includes capybaras and degus. Since the official introduction emphasizes a structure where visitors “enter a large bird cage, touch the birds, and let them perch on their shoulders,” it may not be suitable for people who feel uncomfortable with birds flying close to them.

Second-floor hatching experience and Silla storytelling kiosk

The second floor has a hatching experience area that shows the birth process of birds using incubators. The Bird History and Ecology Learning Hall features a Silla storytelling kiosk, allowing visitors to connect the historical background of Gyeongju with lessons about birds and ecology.

At Bird Atelier, visitors can draw pictures, take photos, and send them by email. The official information does not specify whether English guidance or an audio guide is available, so international visitors should check on-site whether the kiosk supports their language.

Distinguish the 2023 feeding-experience review from current operations

A review from September 2023 recorded that food for sun conures, lovebirds, and koi cost 1,000 won each. The same review describes placing sunflower seeds on one’s hand to feed sun conures and feeding blue-and-gold macaws in the large parrot area.

Another review says that when food was placed in visitors’ hands in the lovebird area, the birds gathered and ate. However, the current availability and price of the feeding experience have not been confirmed on the official page, so the 1,000 won price in the 2023 review should not be treated as the current fee.

Rules when visiting the outdoor Hasimjeong and Bird Forest

Hasimjeong, the outdoor experience area, has ostriches, donkeys, sheep, koi, and more. Bird Forest includes a parakeet experience area as well as mallards, geese, and rabbits, while the World Chicken House features Polish chickens, golden pheasants, guinea fowl, peafowl, and more. To avoid ending your visit after only the indoor first and second floors, allow the officially recommended duration of approximately two hours.

Pets are not allowed inside, and the entire Donggungwon grounds are a non-smoking area. Outside food cannot be brought into the viewing facilities, and entry may be restricted for items that interfere with other visitors, such as skateboards and bicycles. Information on whether indoor photography is prohibited and whether payment is cash-only is not provided.