Discovering the Gansong Museum of Art through the doors of Bohwagak, built in 1938

1938 Bohwagak Built at the Northern End of Seongbuk-dong

Kansong Art Museum is Korea’s first private art museum, founded by Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil. It opened in Seoul’s Seongbuk-dong in 1938 under the name Bohwagak, and its current address is 102-11, Seongbuk-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The design of Bohwagak was commissioned from Park Gil-ryong, one of Korea’s first-generation architects. Park lived from 1898 to 1943, and Bohwagak, which he designed, is described as a Bauhaus-style white building distinguished by its semicircular projecting structure and asymmetrical composition.

The Starting Point of the Kansong Collection, Which Survived War and the Challenges of Collecting

Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil purchased Celadon Prunus Vase with Inlaid Cloud and Crane Design, National Treasure No. 68, from Japanese collector Maeda Saiichiro for 20,000 won, equivalent at the time to the price of 20 tiled-roof houses. In 1940, he discovered and collected the Hunminjeongeum Haerye, which the Japanese colonial authorities sought to eliminate, and during the Korean War he evacuated with major artifacts.

After Jeon Hyeong-pil died in 1962, Bohwagak’s functions were temporarily suspended. When his eldest son Seong-woo returned to Korea in 1965, the operating system began to be reorganized, and the Korea Institute of National Arts was established in 1966. The first director of the institute was his second son Young-woo, while Gahun Choe Wan-su was recruited as head of the research department.

Through 2018, Kansong Art Museum held a total of 92 Kansong Cultural Exhibitions. The free exhibitions that had continued since the first “Gyeomjae Exhibition” in 1971 began charging admission with the fall special exhibition in 2024, with admission set at 5,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for teenagers and children.

How Bohwagak’s Interior Changed After the 2024 Renovation

Bohwagak completed a year-and-a-half renovation in 2024. The work was carried out to preserve as much as possible the original form of modern architecture from its establishment 86 years earlier, while maintaining its significance as a National Registered Cultural Heritage site.

During the renovation, the storage facilities and exhibition environment were improved, and Braille guidance and an elevator were installed. Therefore, it is more accurate to understand the site not merely as a place to view the exterior of an old building, but as an exhibition space strengthened with the accessibility functions required of a modern museum.

On the second-floor exhibition hall, display cases from the original 1938 opening were used alongside newly produced cases. An ink painting by An Jung-sik, “Autumn Forest Bookcase,” was also introduced. An Jung-sik lived from 1861 to 1919.

Current Visits Depend on the Exhibition Period and Reservations

Kansong Art Museum’s regular exhibitions are announced as operating from late April to early May for the spring exhibition and from late September to early October for the autumn exhibition. The museum is closed outside exhibition or program operating periods, while the administrative office remains open.

For the spring 2026 exhibition, visiting hours are 10:00–18:00, with last admission at 17:30, and the museum is closed every Monday. Visits operate by advance reservation, and admission fees vary by exhibition, so the hours for the spring 2026 exhibition should not be conflated with the conditions of other exhibitions.

The 2024 reopening exhibition was titled “Bohwagak 1938: Kansong Art Museum Reopening Exhibition” and ran through June 16. It presented drawings and sketches left by Kansong, marble samples for the staircase, and early acquisitions from the Kansong Collection. Travel platforms list the recommended visit duration as approximately 2–3 hours.

From Exit 6 of Hansung University Station to Seongbuk Elementary School

Foreign visitors can use Exit 6 of Hansung University Station on Seoul Subway Line 4 as their starting point. According to the official English guidance, the museum is about a 20-minute walk away. The address is 102-11, Seongbuk-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, and the English address is 102-11, Seongbuk-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

To travel by bus from the station, take bus 1111, 2112, or Seongbuk 03 and get off at the Seongbuk Elementary School stop. Since the exact walking distance from the Seongbuk Elementary School stop to the museum and the bus intervals are not provided in the available information, it is safest to confirm the stop name first on site.

The museum has limited parking, so public transportation is recommended. The number of available parking spaces and parking fees have not been provided. The postal code is 02837, and the lot-based address is 81-2, Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Photography, Food, and Pet Regulations to Check at the Entrance

Kansong Art Museum prohibits photography using flashes, tripods, or selfie sticks, as well as photography for commercial purposes. Some guidance states that photography on the first floor is restricted, so visitors who wish to take photographs should follow the floor-by-floor instructions.

The museum is a non-smoking area, and visitors should refrain from bringing in food or beverages. Animals other than guide dogs are restricted from entering, and touching exhibits or display cases or engaging in actions that could damage them is also prohibited.

Braille guidance and an elevator were installed during the 2024 renovation. However, based solely on the available information, it cannot be confirmed whether audio guides and English-language guidance are provided or what the permitted scope of photography is for the current exhibition.

How to See the Hunminjeongeum Haerye and Exhibition-Specific Holdings

Kansong Art Museum is introduced as holding around ten national-treasure-level cultural properties, including the Hunminjeongeum Haerye, which contains the principles behind the creation of the Korean alphabet. However, the entire collection is not always displayed, and works by Joseon-period painters such as Shin Yun-bok and Kim Hong-do can be viewed depending on the exhibition.

The Mungyeong Five-story Stone Pagoda is introduced as a 3.92-meter-tall treasure from the Goryeo period. Guidance recommends allowing approximately 2–3 hours to see both the Bohwagak building itself and the exhibits, but the actual exhibition scope varies by visiting period.

Before visiting, check the reservation method and admission fee on the exhibition details page of the official website. The official website is https://kansong.org/seoul/index.do, the main telephone number is 02-744-7830, and the email address is [email protected].

One Thing to Remember Before Visiting: Bohwagak Is Not Open Year-Round

Kansong Art Museum is closed outside exhibition or program operating periods, so visitors should not assume that they can enter the interior at any time simply because they know the building’s address. For the spring 2026 exhibition, the museum operates from 10:00 to 18:00, closes admission at 17:30, and is closed every Monday.

From October 2024, an admission fee of 5,000 won for adults was applied, while the fee for teenagers and children was 3,000 won for the 2024 autumn special exhibition. Current admission fees are based on each exhibition’s detailed page, and advance reservations are required.

On April 16, 2022, YTN posted a related video titled “Kansong Art Museum Bohwagak, Exhibition After Seven Years... Will Not Put Holdings Up for Auction.” Before visiting, the most practical plan is to check the exhibition period, reservations, and photography regulations all at once and use Hansung University Station and buses instead of driving and parking.