Late Chairman Lee Kun-hee's Donated Items Open Era of 10 Million Visitors at National Museum

10,471,154 Visitors at National Museums Last Year
Daegu Museum Ranks 3rd with "Invitation of a Collector"
"Special Exhibition Success and Formation of a Virtuous Cycle"

Last year, the number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea and its affiliated regional museums surpassed 10 million for the first time. This was thanks to the high interest generated by the donated items from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The National Museum of Korea announced on the 4th that the total number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea and its thirteen affiliated museums last year was 10,471,154. This represents a 17.1% increase from the previous year (8,943,841). It also surpassed the all-time record of 9,980,837 set in 2019. A representative from the National Museum of Korea explained, "This is the first time that the total number of visitors to national museums across the country has exceeded 10 million," adding, "Last year, one in five citizens visited, enjoying cultural activities."

This phenomenon was driven by unprecedented interest in the exhibitions presented at each museum. In particular, the Daegu National Museum, which hosted "An Invitation from a Collector," featuring items donated by Chairman Lee Kun-hee, recorded 805,883 visitors. This is a 33% increase compared to the 605,677 visitors in 2022, which was the highest annual record. It ranked third among the fourteen national museums nationwide.

Among these visitors, 32.7% (263,823 people) visited between April 11 and July 9 last year, during the period when "An Invitation from a Collector" was held. They viewed 348 items across 190 exhibits, including six national treasures and fourteen treasures. A museum official stated, "Afterwards, the 'Collector's Garden,' composed of stone artifacts donated by Chairman Lee Kun-hee, was operated, maintaining steady visitor demand," and added, "The special exhibition was a hit, creating a virtuous cycle."

The national museum that attracted the most visitors was the National Museum of Korea, with 4,180,285 visitors. This is the highest number since its predecessor, the National Museum, opened in 1945. The National Gyeongju Museum, located in Gyeongju, the thousand-year-old capital of the Silla Kingdom, ranked second with 1,340,032 visitors. Approximately 240,000 people visited the special exhibition "Cheonma, Meeting Again," held for two months to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Cheonmachong tomb excavation.

Yoon Sung-yong, director of the National Museum of Korea, said, "Achieving 10 million visitors reaffirms that the national museums are truly world-class," and added, "We will continue to cooperate and support affiliated museums to revitalize regional culture."

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