Specialized Science Museum to Open in Gwangyang

Symbiotic Harmony of Material Industry and Science in Gwangyang Bay Area

Opening in 2025 with a Total Project Cost of 40 Billion Won

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] Gwangyang City in Jeollanam-do announced on the 12th that it has been selected as the final site for the "Public Materials Field Specialized Science Museum Contest Project" hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The "Public Gwangyang Materials Specialized Science Museum (hereinafter referred to as the Science Museum)" plans to open in 2025 with a total project cost of 40 billion KRW over five years (20 billion KRW from the national government, 6 billion KRW from the provincial government, and 14 billion KRW from the city government).

The Science Museum will be built on the site of the children's theme park in Hwanggildong, Gwangyang-si, at San 45-35, and will consist of a building with one basement floor and two above-ground floors, totaling 9,396㎡ in gross floor area, along with an outdoor plaza.

The exhibition content will be themed "Gwangyang Materials Science World K-material." The first floor above ground will feature a "Planned Exhibition Hall," a convergence-type exhibition, education, and cultural space, and a "Five Senses Satisfaction Playground" where children can experience with their whole bodies. The second floor will be composed of a permanent exhibition hall with a Basic World including the Materials History Zone, Life Zone, and Curriculum Zone, and a Future World including the Materials Industry Zone and Future Zone.

In particular, the plaza will feature a large-scale real model blast furnace inspired by POSCO steel, a representative symbol of South Korea's economic growth, and Roem, a materials-recycling robot, depicting the entire life cycle of materials from birth to regeneration.

To ensure the successful establishment and operation of the Science Museum, the city signed a business agreement from June to July with nine related organizations (Jeollanam-do Office of Education, Chonnam National University, Suncheon National University, National Gwangju Science Museum, Seoul Metropolitan Science Museum, Jeonnam Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency, Gwangyang Lifelong Education Development Institute, Jeonnam Technopark, and Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art).

Bang Ki-tae, Director of the Education and Childcare Center, said, "The attraction of this Science Museum will not only resolve the imbalance in science culture in underserved areas but also maximize synergy effects by linking various contents such as the emotional playground, sports climbing, and forest camping site within the theme park by establishing the museum on the children's theme park site."

He added, "We expect that through collaboration with materials industry companies in the Gwangyang Bay area, the spread of science culture and the nurturing of materials science talents will lay the foundation for Gwangyang Bay to become a strong materials powerhouse in South Korea."

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.