Diving Into Unique Museums
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Museums are thought of as a cultural barometer of a country and at the same time as boring educational places far from excitement. But museums are expanding their scopes to reach out to more people with unique themes.
From straws, jewels and even liquor to owls, anything unique and even weird can be found in museums. Here is a list of museums housing bizarre and rare items.
Fun Museum
``Don't touch'' is a familiar notice seen at museums. But the Fun Museum breaks down the stereotype that visitors cannot touch the exhibits and instead gives a new idea of the hands-on experience.
The museum, first established in 2002, displays about 350 pieces of unusual educational scientific toys ― such as a dancing lamp, a talking toilet and a horrifying mirror ― successfully catching the eyes of visitors.
The exhibition consists of five themes ― sound, lifestyle, science, light and movement.
``Our museum has a unique and special character, which interacts with visitors unlike other museums displaying historical relics. Our exhibit items are updated every month by introducing newly invented items from around the world. We have dynamic and exciting exhibits,'' Chung Sung-ah, an official of Valution, an industrial educational company and operator of the museum, told The Korea Times.
The museum is dedicated to providing children with an opportunity to develop their creativity by touching and exploring the exhibits.
In addition, the museum is committed to offering adults a chance to foster their imagination through the experience programs.
The museum has two branches, one in Seoul and the other in Paju English Village in Gyeonggi Province.
Admission is 8,000 won for adults and students (elementary, middle and high school) and 7,000 won for children. For more information, call (02) 792-8500 or visit www.funique.com
Owl Antiques Museum
Owls are distinctive nocturnal birds of prey we generally see only through animation or fantasy films. But here is a museum featuring everything about owls. The Owl Antiques Museum, located in Samcheong-dong (east of Gyeongbokgung Palace), central Seoul, provides a unique opportunity to get a closer look at the owls through invaluable artwork.
The small museum, located in a small residence, houses more than 3,000 items bearing owl motifs collected from over 70 countries including China, the United States, the Czech Republic and Poland.
The museum consists of a number of figurines, sculptures, paintings and other forms or likenesses of owls created or crafted out of every conceivable material.
From cloth stuffed owls, life-like owl paintings and owl woodcarvings, to screens and blinds, cutlery and crockery, vases and even stamps, the museum displays abundant art and craft.
Director Bae Myung-hee, 55, said that she has collected the owl-themed artifacts over the last 40 years. ``I just like the owls because I think they're pretty,'' said Bae.
Interestingly, although the owl-related arts and crafts are from all over the world, she has never visited another country, except for Japan where she looked around private museums.
``Many people think it's weird that I have never traveled to other countries to buy such stuff like other collectors. But I collected all of the crafts through bazaars hosted by embassies and foreign exhibits here in Korea,'' she said.
``I am not an expert, nor a scholar. Also I don't have the background of living in a foreign country as a diplomat. I am just a housewife who loves owls. I want to show how a museum can be established by anyone like me who has passion for something, not just rich people with special backgrounds,'' she said.
Bae said that the museum is too small to receive government aid ― it needs to be at least 82 square meters for the exhibit room.
She said she treats visitors with a cup of tea or coffee. To reach the museum, one needs to take the Samcheong-dong Road from Exit 2 Anguk Station on subway line 3. A short walk past the Korea Banking Institute will take you to the museum.
Admission is 5,000 won for visitors aged 19 and above and 3,000 won for those under. For more information, call (02) 3210-2902 or visit www.owlmuseum.co.kr.
World Jewelry Museum
When it comes to jewelry, you might think of luxurious and high-end goods. But the World Jewelry Museum presents 1,000 pieces of ethnic ornaments on display from a total of 3,000 pieces collected by director Lee Kang-won from 60 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe and the Pre-Columbian era.
Founded in 2004, the museum is one of the first museums in the world devoted entirely to jewelry, especially one that houses such ethnically diverse pieces.
The museum has nine exhibition galleries such as ``The Jewelry Garden,'' ``Amber Wall,'' ``The Forest of Modern Jewelry,'' ``El Dorado Gallery,'' ``Mask Wall,'' and ``Altar of Crosses,'' using innovative exhibition techniques to contribute to the museum's reputation.
Situated in the gallery district in the back alley of Samcheong-dong, the museum's first floor contains the Amber Wall that has pieces from 50,000 years ago; the Golden Hall (El Dorado) with beautiful displays that captivated the Europeans; the Necklace Hall decorated with the most splendid techniques; and the solemn Alter of the Crosses. The second floor houses a Mask Wall, Rings, Beads and Ivory, as well as Modern Jewelry.
Come out of Exit No. 3 of Anguk Subway Station on subway line 3 and walk straight into the alley beside Pungmun Girl's High School. It's about a 10-minute walk. Admission is from 3,000 to 5,000 won. For more information, call (02) 730-1610 or visit www.wjmuseum.com.
Liquorium
If you are interested in drinking and its culture, why don't you travel to the Liquorium housed in Jungangtop Park in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province?
The liquor museum consists of three floors and a unique entrance gate decorated with a large distiller.
The museum, which holds some 3,000 artifacts related to liquor from across the world, divulges many stories about its history and the varied manufacturing procedures.
When you approach the museum, a gigantic pot with a capacity of 10,000 liters that was used to make Chivas Regal in Scotland, grabs your attention.
The basement floor contains Wine, Beer, Asian Liquor and Aqua Vitae exhibition halls as well as a Drinking Culture Exhibition where various information on worldwide liquor and its health effects are available.
Located near the picturesque Lake Tangeum, the museum was established by director, Lee Jong-ki, who worked for a liquor company for more than 27 years.
To get there, take any bus numbered 400, 401, 403, 404, 410, 411, 412 or 413 at the bus station in front of Chungju Bus Terminal and get off at Gageum Jungangtop.
Admission is 3,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for children. For more information, call (043) 855-7333 or visit www.liquorium.com.
Museum of Korea Straw and Plants Handicraft
Straw might be the oldest and most common manufacturing material. To make straw woven products, no particular tools are needed ― just bare hands.
In the past, Koreans used to make all kinds of household goods with straw by shaping it and twisting it into rope.
The Museum of Korea Straw and Plants Handicraft holds some 3,500 straw related folk items collected by director In Byung-sun who has devoted her whole life to research about straw.
The collection includes some 200 tools, 2,000 nails from the Joseon Kingdom, 1,000 ritual vessels, 200 door sets from traditional tile roof houses, 457 donated items and 500 spinning tops (100 kinds) from around the world.
The traditional items made of straw and grass range from shoes, mats and basins.
Located at Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station on subway line 4. For more information, call (02) 743-8788 or visit www.zipul.co.kr.