Seoul Museum: Agricultural Museum

After the first couple of museums, we were hooked and wanted to go to more.  We were able to squeeze in one final museum - the Agricultural Museum.  Smaller in scale, but just as enriching with details of everyday Korean life from past, present and the future.

We just happened to drive by the museum during a taxi ride.  Fascinated by the name and content of the museum, we researched it online and found a guide of how to get there (it really helps to have a data plan on your smartphones to get around).  Opened in 1987 and then renovated and reopened in 2005, the museum has 3 exhibition halls: 1) Agricultural History Hall showcasing agricultural communities from prehistoric times to the modern era, 2) Agricultural Community Hall containing models recreating the life of farm families from the olden days, and 3) Agricultural Promotion Hall with information on farming and agricultural cooperatives.  The halls have displays and replicas of paddy fields, traditional homes, and marketplaces of agricultural societies.  You are taken away from the city as you walk through the past.

Never stop learning.  Through these museums we learned so much about culture.  I have loads of respect for how the Korean people have better their lives in just a few decades.  It's truly admirable how they have worked together as a nation for a higher standard of living.

Agricultural Museum

Seoul Museums: Gyeongbokgung Palace, National Folk Museum, and the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History

Museums are not only educational and enriching, but they are also a great way to burn calories between meals.  Some museums can even make you hungrier for your next meal.

Under the grueling summer heat, the Gyeongbokgung Palace is a lot to take in.  Meaning, "Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven", the royal palace was first constructed in 1395 and later reconstructed in 1867.  Much of it was destroyed by Imperial Japan in the early 20th century.  Since then, the government has gradually restored the structures and the grounds back to its original form.  It is the main and largest of the Five Grand Palaces.  And when they say largest, they really mean it.  It is overwhelming large, and it's so easy to get lost with the numerous gates, courtyards, quarters and halls.

Within the palace grounds, the National Folk Museum stands in the rear, or by a free side entrance if you wish to bypass the palace.  Speaking of free, all museums' main exhibits are free.  I'm still amazed how these museums, which should charge a lot for entrance because of their quality and quantity of displays, are completely free.  It encourages tourists and locals to learn more.  The museum has over 98,000 artifacts.  These are replicas of historical objects that illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people.  The 3 main halls cover: 1) the history of the Korean people through their materials of everyday life from prehistoric times to the end of the Joseon Dynasty in 1910, 2) the Korean way of life through the villagers in ancient times, and 3) the life cycle of Korean highlighting the influence of Confucianism.  The most fascinating parts of the museum for me were the food history areas which explained the past and present use of dining ware and the process of kimchi making.

Just outside the palace grounds, next to the US Embassy (the building with a ridiculous amount of guards stationed every 3 feet along the sidewalk) is the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History.  Regrettably I took one photo because I was so fascinated and drawn to all the content of the museum.  It was my favorite museum of the bunch by far.  We sought out this museum because we wanted to learn about the Korean War and how the country moved its way to being one of the top global leaders today.  This is the first national modern contemporary museum in Korea, which opened late 2012.  It covers politics, the economy, society, and culture of the Korean country and people in 4 detailed halls: 1) the prelude to the Republic of Korea from 1876 to 1945, 2) the foundation of the Republic of Korea from 1945 to 1960, 3) the development of the Republic of Korea from 1961 to 1987, and finally 4) the modernization and Korea's vision of the future from 1988 on.  It is truly admirable how the country coped from the war and how successfully they have thrived in recent years.  I have so much more respect for the country and its people, in large part because of what I learned from this museum.

Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds
And the Heungnyemun Gate in the background

Main entrance gate
Gwanghwamun Gate

Seoul Museums: National Museum

Aside from books, the best way to learn about a country's history and culture is by visiting the country itself.  The people, the food, and the museums share so many stories about the past, present, and future.

I was one of those kids that really enjoyed school field trips to museums.  And it wasn't just because we were off of campus for the day.  I actually really enjoyed exploring all the exhibits and pieces in order to complete the class assignments.  Yes, I enjoyed (most) school work and really enjoyed learning more from museums.

And then there were family trips to New York and Europe where museums were a staple in all our itineraries.  Throughout and after college, I loved visiting art museums in San Francisco once a month.  That's where I found compatible friends who appreciate culture... and the happy hours that followed our museum days.

It's safe to say I've seen a good selection of museums around the world.  So when I'm blown away by museums, it means they are truly impressive.  Seoul's museums are truly impressive.  AND, free!  Yes, free admission.  These are museums where you'd normally pay $20+USD or feel obligated to donate in the box to walk around the museum with a "I'm a good person because I donated" pin.

Over the course of the week, I'll feature the few museums we managed to visit.  First, the National Museum of Korea.  Opened in 1945, the year Korea gained independence from Japan, this is the country's largest museum.  It is the flagship museum for history and art in South Korea.

Working your way from the first floor up, you walk through the country's ancient history to it's modern era (pre-Korean War).  The museum is filled with national artifacts and relics.  In the upper floors, national and international art feature crafts, calligraphy, and paintings highlighting the best of Asian art.

If you find yourself in Seoul, the National Museum is a must.

Entrance to the National Museum

Museums in Singapore

Whether you're a tourist or a local, museums are a great place to learn more about history and culture.  Plus, if you're visiting a city with hot or cold weather this gives you at least a couple hours of relief in some air conditioning or with a heater.

Singapore is a small city with a good number of museums.  For a basic background of the city and its history, the National Museum of Singapore is the place to start.  Aside from the history, there are also special exhibits further exploring the culture through it's textiles, photography, film industry, and food.  The food exhibit is a fun space that details the history of popular dishes still eaten today in Singapore.

Over by Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum is a fun stop with rotating exhibits featuring varying science exhibits and featured artists.  The entrance fee is on the higher side, but you get what you pay for from the extensive pieces displayed and information provided.  It's a great place for some fun knowledge and inspiration.

While you're exploring the Gardens By the Bay, the conservatories pretty fascinating and so nice to cool down in.  The Flower Dome has an impressive amount of flowers and trees from all over the world.  The dome also houses UK celebrity chef Jason Atherton's Pollen.  You can have a casual meal at the cafe, or a fine dining experience up in the formal dining room.  The Cloud Forest is trippy and so cool.  If it's unbearably hot outside, you will not want to leave this misty forest.  And when the sun goes down, the nightly light show at the SuperTree Grove is a fun place to chill out and have an Avatar-like experience.

Singapore is a city that you'll constantly be eating, so these museums are the perfect place to burn off some calories while gaining knowledge and inspiration.

Inside the National Museum of Singapore

Food Exhibit in the National Museum

Hong Kong Museum of History

Whether it's a city I live in or a city I'm visiting, I love going to museums! The whole activity of going to a museum takes you away from the routine of every day life and the chaos from city life. For those quiet hours, you get to jump into the culture you are exploring. It's not just through traveling, but also in these museums that you learn so much about culture and life.

For a late morning activity before lunch, and instead of the usual shopping or eating, I visiting the Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui. If you have a couple hours and find yourself curious about the history of Hong Kong, I highly recommend this museum! But, if you go on a weekday get ready for loud and chaotic school kids running around.

These are some of the food related pictures from the museum:

Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.