From Military Barracks to Industrial Heritage and Camptown Memories... Gyeonggi Expands the "Museum Without a Roof"

Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation Signs Agreements with Eight Local Governments and Cultural Foundations
New Bases to Be Discovered and Anniversary Symposium Planned for 10th Year

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation announced on May 6 that, to mark the 10th anniversary of the regional culture brand project "Museum Without a Roof," they have signed business cooperation agreements with eight basic local governments and cultural foundations within the province and will officially launch this year’s program.

Arts Space Songsanbanjeom, promoted by Uijeongbu Cultural Foundation. Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation

The "Museum Without a Roof" project aims to discover and culturally reinterpret local cultural assets, natural environments, and historical sites, with the goal of fostering regional identity and restoring community. It began in 2016 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

This year, Goyang City will newly join the existing group of partner regions. The Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation will continue region-specific projects with Siheung City, the Ansan Cultural Foundation, the Uijeongbu Cultural Foundation, the Gimpo Cultural Foundation, and the Pyeongtaek City Cultural Foundation, as well as launch collaborative projects with Goyang City, the Pocheon Culture and Tourism Foundation, and Hwaseong City.

Siheung City will expand its project to rediscover the industrial heritage of the Siwha National Industrial Complex through archiving and activation programs. Four new candidate sites will also be selected for pilot support. The Ansan Cultural Foundation will operate education, documentation, and civic participation programs based on the eco-museum resources and regional heritage accumulated over the past ten years.

The Gimpo Cultural Foundation will continue its efforts to preserve border heritage and the ecological environment, centering on the "Small Art Museum" in Bogugot-ri, a border village, and the "Mildari Village Museum" in Gaegok-ri. The Uijeongbu Cultural Foundation will archive the historic spaces of the Bbaeppeol Village near the U.S. military base and promote a village regeneration project through arts and culture. The Pyeongtaek City Cultural Foundation will conduct local cultural activities highlighting the survival narratives of women from camptown communities, focusing on the "Camptown Women’s Peace Museum (Ilgopjipmae)."

Goyang City, newly participating this year, will use "Saedeul Arts Creation Space," a former military barracks on the lower Han River, as its base. The city plans to present local historical resources such as the security legacy of barbed wire fences and military barracks, as well as the Han River aggregate industry, as cultural content.

The Pocheon Gwanin Eco Museum and the Hwaseong Ueumdo Ecorak, which were previously general bases, will be converted to "city-county pilot cooperation" projects starting this year. The Pocheon Culture and Tourism Foundation will carry out a project to rediscover unused spaces in Gwanin Village from an artistic perspective, while Hwaseong City will support the establishment of an ecological and cultural archive based on the activation of the Ueumdo base and the participation of local communities and regional activists.

In addition to the current 18 bases in 11 cities and counties, the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation is also conducting an open call to discover 12 new candidate bases. In October, a symposium will be held to commemorate the 10th anniversary, sharing the achievements to date and the vision for the future.

A representative from the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation stated, "Museum Without a Roof has established itself as a successful model for cooperation between metropolitan and basic local governments in regional culture. Based on the records of the past ten years, we will shed new light on regional cultures with heritage value in Gyeonggi Province and elevate them into cultural assets that future generations can be proud of."

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