Donuimun History Museum
The Donuimun History Museum is a newly established cultural space, created by joining together the old restaurant buildings of the Saemunan village. Originally built as homes in the 1960s, these buildings housed an Italian restaurant, Agio, and a traditional Korean restaurant, Hanjeong, from the 1990s until the late 2000s. The Donuimun Histroy Museum was constructed to abide by the architectural order of these buildings, with safety reinforcements to be turned into an exhibition space.
In the former Agio and Hanjeong buildings, the stories of the roads, architecture, and people that once formulated the area and its history will be on display, focusing on the Saemunan village divisions: Hangyang Doseong (Seoul City Wall), Gyeonghuigung Palace Wall, and Saemunan-ro Road. Historic Remains are preserved and vividly exhibit the original site where the Gyeonghuigung Palace Wall ruins were excavated, while also serving as an education site. Witness the history, culture, and living memories of the Donuimun Gate area at the Donuimun History Museum.
AGIO
1
History of the Donuimun Gate Area : Joseon Dynasty
This space exhibits how the Donuimun Gate area appeared during the Joseon dynasty. The history of the Donuimun Gate, the west gate of Seoul City Wall, can be observed through Seogwoldo, which portrays Gyeonghuigung Palace located inside the gate. The various scenes of life outside the Donuimun Gate are also introduced through a video of the Gyeonggi gamyeongdo.
History of the Donuimun Gate Area : After Ports Were Opened
This space shows the Donuimun Gate area from the late nineteenth century until the Japanese occupation. The scale model of a streetcar passing through the gate symbolizes the sudden changes occurring at the time. This space also displays the changes that followed the demolition of the Donuimun Gate, which used to serve as a Western diplomacy and traffic center since the service of the streetcars.
2
Records and Recollections of Two Villages : Gyonam-dong and Saemunan Village
This space exhibits the records of Gyonam-dong during the 1950s up until its demolition in 2013 under the redevelopment plan and traces the urban architectural formation and transformation in the Saemunan village, recently reborn as the Donuimun Museum Village. The former villages can be identified through videos and its scale model based on data from on-site investigations
HANJEONG
1
Urban Regeneration of the Saemunan Village / Photo Gallery
This space exhibits the process by which the Saemunan village became the Donuimun Museum Village. The transformation of the village can be observed through a time-lapse sequence of photos taken daily from 2015 to 2017. There is also a gallery set up, containing traces of the village, and a corner is prepared for the viewers to share their exhibition experiences.
2
The Story of Saemunan Village People
The Saemunan village was once concentrated with tutoring houses that then transformed into an eatery central for office workers. The story of the village is recounted here through the voices of the people who used to run the restaurants in the village. There is also a map reproducing the former view of the Saemunan village packed with restaurants alley by alley.
Historic Remains
1
Ruins of Gyeonghuigung Palace Wall
This space displays the excavated Gyeonghuigung Palace Wall in its original state. A viewing deck is built for the audience to walk directly over the historical site and meet the relic up close. Not only the Gyeonghuigung Palace Wall, but also the old building sites from the Japanese occupation period, ondol (Korean floor heating system), and alleys are clustered here for observation.
Museum Hours
Museum Hours(Tue. - Sun.,Closed)
| Tue. - Sun. |
9:00-18:00 |
| Closed |
Jan. 1, Mondays |
Admission Fee
Free
Address
35-54, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Contact
Tel. 02-724-0271
Transportation
Subway
- Line5Seodaemun St, Exit 4 (350m in the direction of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital)
Seoul Museum of History bus stop
- Blue Bus (main line) 160,260,270,271,273,370,470,600,602, 702A, 702B, 705, 720, 721
- Red Bus (wide area line) 9701, 1004, 8600, 8601, 8601A
- Airport Limousine 6002
Kangbuk Samsung Hospital bus stop
- Maeul Bus (local line) Jongno 05
- Blue Bus (main line) 101
Parking
- No separate parking is available. Please use the Seoul Museum of History parking lot nearby.
