Reading Ulsan’s Yaksacheon Water-Management Technology in Front of an 8-Meter Soil Layer

A 741.99㎡ ‘Exhibition Hall Inside an Embankment’ Opened on May 24, 2017

The Yaksadong Embankment Heritage Exhibition Hall is an exhibition facility affiliated with Ulsan Museum, opened on May 24, 2017, to introduce the Historic Site ‘Yaksadong Embankment, Ulsan.’ The building has a total floor area of 741.99㎡, and its address is 22-28 Jongga 14-gil, Jung-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City. Rather than explaining the heritage site from a distance, the exhibition hall features an actual cross-section of the embankment as its main exhibit.

The first floor has an Embankment Exhibition Room showing a full-scale reproduction of the embankment’s soil layers and a Themed Exhibition Room covering artifacts and farming tools from Yaksadong. The second floor has a children’s hands-on exhibition room with embankment-building activities, artifact-pattern coloring, puzzles, blocks, a reading area, and a video area, although the scope of use may vary on days when educational or cultural events are held.

An Ancient Reservoir Facility About 155 m Long, Linking the Hills on Both Sides of Yaksacheon

Ulsan’s Yaksadong Embankment is an ancient hydraulic facility built across the stream by connecting a point where the hills on both sides of Yaksacheon lie close together. It was determined to have been constructed in the sixth to seventh centuries, from the late Three Kingdoms period to the early Unified Silla period, and is believed to have been built for water storage. The heritage site registered on the National Heritage Portal covers 3,599.5㎡, and its total length is about 155 m.

Survey materials indicate that the embankment was approximately 25–37 m wide and 8–12 m high. When the embankment was in operation, the reservoir water level was about 21.5 m, with an estimated storage capacity of approximately 95,153㎥. This shows that beneath today’s urban landscape of the Innovation City was the livelihood infrastructure of inland Ulsan, which stored water to support farming.

• National Heritage name: Yaksadong Embankment, Ulsan
• Designation: Historic Site No. 528, September 16, 2014
• Category: Historic architectural work related to agricultural and irrigation facilities

The Layered Earth, Silt, Shells, and Branches Revealing the Brushwood Reinforcement Technique in an 8 m Soil Profile

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a full-scale reproduction of the embankment’s soil layers covering a wall. Excavations confirmed that the Yaksadong Embankment was built by placing highly viscous silt layers and shell materials over a prepared foundation and laying thin branches with leaves between the layers, a technique known as brushwood reinforcement. This was an ancient reinforcement method that inserted plant materials between layers to improve the stability of earthen structures.

The value of this heritage site lies in more than simply being an old dike. It is significant that excavations in 2009–2010 fully exposed a cross-section of the embankment, allowing its construction techniques and date to be identified archaeologically. Unlike previously known ancient hydraulic heritage sites such as Byeokgolje in Gimje, Uirimji in Jecheon, and Susanjes in Miryang, it is considered a case in which the construction process was revealed in concrete detail through excavation.

Weekday Hours: Visits from 09:00 to 18:00, with Admission Until 17:30

According to Ulsan Museum’s visitor information, visiting hours are 09:00–18:00, and the last admission is at 17:30. The exhibition hall is closed every Saturday and Sunday and on public holidays, and admission is free. Before visiting, it is advisable to check the notices on Ulsan Museum’s official page for temporary closures or event schedules.

Exhibition commentary is provided from 09:30 to 17:00 for visitors aged six and above. Commentary is not available during the lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00. The main contact number is 052-229-4728, and telephone assistance is reportedly difficult on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and from 12:00 to 13:00.

• Visiting hours: 09:00–18:00
• Last admission: 17:30
• Commentary: 09:30–17:00, excluding 12:00–13:00
• Admission: Free
• Groups of 10 or more: Advance telephone reservation required

Why Groups of 10 or More Should Coordinate in Advance at 052-229-4728

The exhibition hall is not large, and its interior structure may cause sound to echo, so access to part of the exhibition hall may be restricted while educational or cultural events are in progress. Groups of 10 or more must make an advance telephone reservation to protect the exhibits and maintain orderly viewing. If several groups arrive during the same time slot, they may have to wait inside or outside the exhibition hall.

The actual route is easiest to understand when visitors first view the soil-layer reproduction and themed exhibits on the first floor, then go up to the hands-on exhibition room on the second floor. About 40–60 minutes is suitable for an adult-focused visit, while approximately 60–90 minutes is recommended if children’s activities are included. Flash photography, tripods, and commercial-purpose photography are prohibited. Food and pets other than guide dogs may not be brought into the exhibition rooms.

‘Yaksadong Embankment 4you’: An Excavation Story for Children

The exhibition hall features the ‘Yaksadong Embankment 4you’ characters: Embanki, Mulbanki, Gulbanki, and Bangbanki. These characters connect exhibition topics—including embankment construction and excavation, the waters of Yaksacheon, and shells found inside the embankment—to children’s perspectives. The coloring, puzzles, blocks, and reading area in the second-floor activity room are suitable for exploring alongside this story.

However, the character narrative is a fictional setting created for exhibition education and should be distinguished from the heritage site’s date, structure, and excavation results. Historical information should be understood based on details confirmed through excavation and national heritage materials, such as construction in the sixth to seventh centuries, a length of approximately 155 m, a trapezoidal cross-section, the brushwood reinforcement technique, and designation as a Historic Site on September 16, 2014.

A One-Hour Yaksadong Route: Avoid Closures on Saturdays and Sundays and Visit on a Weekday Morning

This is not a suitable destination for a weekend itinerary. Because it is regularly closed on Saturdays and Sundays, travelers visiting Ulsan only on weekends may find it difficult to visit. On weekdays, visiting between 09:00 and 10:30, shortly after opening, or between 13:00 and 16:30, after commentary resumes, allows visitors to view the exhibition without being rushed by the 17:30 admission cutoff.

Information about wheelchair and stroller accessibility, the number of parking spaces and parking fees, and specific bus routes and stops could not be confirmed through the official information. Visitors with mobility needs should call 052-229-4728 before departure to ask about access and elevator availability. Whether regular foreign-language commentary is offered is also not specified in the official information, so visitors are advised to come with someone who can follow English commentary or inquire in advance.

• Recommended visiting days: Monday–Friday
• Time to avoid: 12:00–13:00, when commentary is not provided
• Note: Access to the second floor or some exhibits may be restricted during educational or cultural events
• Address for navigation: 22-28 Jongga 14-gil, Jung-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City