Seodaemun Museum of Natural History

Imagine for a moment that you are the curator of a natural history museum. As visitors enter your museum, what visual image do you want them to see?

(Think of a cliché.)

A T-Rex, perhaps?

Oh yes.

Definitely a cliché, but clichés exist for a reason.

The Seodaemun Museum of Natural History has its star attraction right here in the main hall. Big, bold and aggressive, the King strikes a menacing pose letting first-time viewers know who’s really in charge of the local tyranny around here. As we entered the building, the group before us let out a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs", and Vee and I upon seeing the "terrible dragon" (trans. lit. from Korean) stood in awe of it for a few moments. The astonishment soon turned into curiosity...and determination...to get on the dinosaur...

...or at least create the illusion that we had.

Natural history museums come in all shapes and flavours.  The museum that I grew up with back home was a rather serious and academic affair. Hushed voices, long corridors, people on their best behaviour and beautiful exhibits.

The Seodaemun museum, too, has beautiful exhibits but there the similarity ends. The museum has a much more family-oriented atmosphere and, by family, I really mean for children.  For a day's outing with the children, the museum is an excellent choice. Parents can leave the stroller at home as they've got plenty for use there.

There are buttons to push and panels to open. Hanging skeletons of ancient flying monsters suspended in air. Mini movies of exploding planets and others of massive volcanoes. Dinosaur poop, long-lost sea beds, human skulls, tiny frogs, real live sharks, geological specimens and other wonders too numerous to mention. There were children everywhere of all ages running around and examining everything yet none of them looked in the least bit bored. That’s about as good a recommendation as you are likely to get.

The museum building is quite new, having been built in 2003. This shows in the lighting and floor layout of the building. Everything is accessible and easy on the eyes. It’s not a big museum but great care and imagination has gone into the displays, and there is something for all tastes here. This is Korea so technical wizardry is used to good effect to help inform and entertain.

It’s one thing to see images of animals both ancient and modern on television but nothing beats getting up close and personal with the real thing. Have a yen for Orthoceras (and who doesn’t?) Or perhaps Triceratops is more your “bag”? When was the last time you got a decent fix of Stromatolites, hmm?  The Seodaemun has some first-rate specimens.

One important thing that the museum has worked on is context.  Unlike a random collection of curios that some eccentric millionaire might store in a private collection, the displays clearly show the time frame and environment from where the animals came from. This helps create a contextual framework and leads the visitor to a greater appreciation and understanding of the animals themselves. For me, the dinosaur family tree, the display of the evolution of whales and the pre-historic sea-beds were excellent examples of this kind of forethought and good planning.

To round things off, there’s a children’s library, a gift shop, a coffee chop and a roof-top playground dinosaur “petting zoo”. The museum covers several different floors, but there is a large modern lift available and the floor layout seems well-suited to wheelchairs.

We hope you have a wonderful time at the museum as we did. This outing may just bring out the kid in you.

Status: Recommended.

Location & Directions
서울시 서대문박물관길 25연희3동 산5-58)
Bangmulgwan-Gil 25 Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul Korea 120-113
Phone: 02-330-8899
Website: http://namu.sdm.go.kr/

From Sinchon Station or Yonsei University Main Gate, take Bus #3 and get off at 자연사박물관 (ja-yeon-sa-bang-mul-gwan). The stop for this is not labeled in English, but the stop after (Seodaemun-gu Office) is. So if you find yourself at Seodaemun-gu Office, you'll want to get off and walk back to the museum's stop.

 This is what you should see when you get off the bus.







Follow the road up. You will want to cross the road first to get on the right side as the steps that Vee is standing on in the picture come to an end.






What you should see as you're climbing up.







The view from your left.








Once at the top of the hill, you'll turn left through the main entrance and walk another hundred yards or so. You'll pass restrooms and a playground on your right. From then on, there will be signs to point you in the right direction.





Admission