An Exhibition Reading the Traces of Flight from 110 Million Years Ago in Jinju’s Chungmugong-dong

Why it opened in November 2019 atop a Natural Monument fossil site

Jinju Pterosaur Footprint Exhibition Hall is a public exhibition hall connected to the pterosaur, bird, and dinosaur footprint fossil site in Chungmugong-dong, Jinju. This area preserves fossilized footprints of Cretaceous animals from approximately 110 million years ago. Construction of the exhibition hall began in October 2016, and the 1,997-square-meter facility was completed in February 2018 before officially opening on November 19, 2019.

The central focus of the exhibition is not bone fossils but the “traces of behavior” left in Jinju at that time. Pterosaur, bird, and dinosaur footprints provide clues about direction of movement, foot size, and the diversity of animals that used the same layer of sediment. Materials discovered in the Chungmugong-dong area became the starting point for the exhibition hall. Since the fossil site identified during development of Jinju Innovation City was connected to a conservation and educational space, it is best viewed together with the original strata outside rather than focusing only on the building itself.

Comparing the world's largest pterosaur footprints with tiny raptor tracks

The features to pay particular attention to in the exhibition explanations are pterosaur footprints, bird footprints, and dinosaur footprints. The Korea Tourism Organization's accessible tourism information introduces this area as the place where the greatest number of pterosaur footprints have been discovered in the world, highlighting the world's largest pterosaur footprints, the world's smallest raptor footprints, and kangaroo rat footprints.

The easiest way to understand the exhibition is to first learn why the Cretaceous strata and fossil site became protected areas, then compare the number of toes, spacing between footprints, and direction of travel. If visiting with children, explaining first that “pterosaurs could fly, but left footprints when they landed on the ground” naturally helps them understand why the footprints of winged animals are displayed.

• Key comparison 1: The shapes of pterosaur, bird, and dinosaur footprints
• Key comparison 2: The difference in size between large footprints and tiny raptor footprints
• Key comparison 3: The relationship between fossil specimens and the fossil site

Admission hours: 09:00–17:30 from March to October and 10:00–17:00 in winter

According to official tourism information, visiting hours are 09:00–17:30 from March to October and 10:00–17:00 from November to February, with ticket sales available until 30 minutes before closing. Since closing times vary by season, it is safest to aim to arrive before 17:00 in summer and autumn and before 16:30 in winter.

The hall is closed every Monday, January 1, and the day of Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok. If a Monday is a public holiday, it operates that day and closes on the next weekday, so visitors traveling during a holiday period should reconfirm by calling 055-749-7401 before setting out. The official website is https://www.jinju.go.kr/ptero/, and event and educational program schedules may differ from regular visiting hours.

Admission costs 2,000 won for adults, 1,000 won for teenagers, and 500 won for children. People with disabilities and national merit recipients may enter free of charge. Discounts are also available for Jinju residents and families with two or more children, so it is advisable to ask at the ticket counter whether supporting documents are required.

How to reach 22 Yeongcheongang-ro 68beon-gil by buses 290, 300, or 301

The address is 22 Yeongcheongang-ro 68beon-gil, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do; the lot number address is 136, Chungmugong-dong. The registered coordinates are 35.16868938, 128.1396179, so enter “Jinju Pterosaur Footprint Exhibition Hall” or the road-name address into your navigation system.

Public transportation information lists Jinju city buses 290, 300, and 301. Since departures by stop and actual walking routes may change, check Jinju's bus information just before departure. Visitors with infants or wheelchair users should also separately confirm the disembarkation stop and whether low-floor buses are operating.

Information indicates that parking is available on-site for visitors arriving by car, with designated accessible parking spaces. However, the number of spaces and standard parking fees could not be confirmed through reliable, up-to-date information, so groups and weekend visitors should call 055-749-7401 in advance.

An accessible route with a step-free main entrance, automatic doors, and an elevator

Wheelchair and stroller users can use the step-free access route and automatic doors to reach the main entrance. The exhibition hall has an elevator, an accessible restroom, and designated accessible parking spaces. Public data also records that diaper-changing tables are installed in the restrooms.

Braille information boards and audio buttons are also provided for visitors with visual impairments. However, the availability of foreign-language guidance could not be confirmed through the latest official information. Visitors who may have difficulty with Korean should prepare the official YouTube video or English machine translation in advance and call to confirm the language of on-site explanations and materials.

Because the visit is primarily indoors, the hall is a good addition to a rainy-day itinerary. However, nonslip shoes are recommended if you also plan to see the outdoor elements of the fossil site. Allow 45–60 minutes for the exhibition alone, or 60–90 minutes to read the specimen explanations and explore the outdoor area at a leisurely pace.

Why to check activity schedules after the 2025 “Dinosaurs That Ran Out of the Museum” program

In 2025, Jinju Pterosaur Footprint Exhibition Hall was selected for the “Museum × Enjoy” program during Museum and Art Museum Week and operated the “Dinosaurs That Ran Out of the Museum” program. It included acquiring dinosaur cards through fossil-collecting rewards, a card board game, and a quiz event, with participation announced as free.

Since this was a 2025 event, it should not be assumed to operate in the same way today. If you are visiting with children specifically for hands-on activities, check the notice board on the official website https://www.jinju.go.kr/ptero/ and call 055-749-7401 before the visit to confirm the day's program, material fees, and whether advance reservations are required.

A report from April 2026 introduced plans to transform the exhibition hall into a children's interactive science playground. Visitors should therefore check the operating status on the day of departure, taking into account the possibility of renovation work, temporary closure, or changes to the exhibition route.

Who should visit before Jinju Castle—and who may find the exhibition too short

This destination is better suited to visitors interested in actual fossilized footprints and geological stories than to those seeking a theme-park-style facility filled with large dinosaur models. The more slowly you explore the 110-million-year timeline, the size and arrangement of the footprints, and why Jinju is recognized as a fossil site, the richer the visit becomes.

Conversely, visitors expecting extensive indoor activities or a large amusement facility may find the exhibition brief. Plan about an hour for the exhibition hall alone. If you would like to visit more museums in Jinju, a practical option is to check the operating days of the Jinju Bronze Age Culture Museum or the Jinju City Lee Seong-ja Art Museum separately and combine them into your itinerary.

Jinju City's official YouTube channel has a video released in 2025 titled “A City Holding Secrets from 100 Million Years Ago｜Meeting Pterosaurs in Jinju,” which can be used to learn about the geological and fossil background before visiting. On the day of your visit, comparing the footprints seen in the exhibition room with the explanations in the video makes it clearer that the Chungmugong-dong fossil site in Jinju is not simply a children's exhibition but a site worthy of preservation.