KakaoMap brings indoor navigation to National Museum of Korea

A promotional image for KakaoMap's indoor navigation service at the National Museum of Korea / Courtesy of Kakao

KakaoMap, the location-based mapping service operated by Kakao, the technology conglomerate best known for Korea's dominant mobile messaging app KakaoTalk, launched an indoor map service for the National Museum of Korea, allowing visitors to navigate exhibition halls and locate individual artifacts floor by floor.

Kakao developed the service in partnership with the National Museum of Korea. The company said the feature is aimed at helping visitors navigate the museum's large interior spaces more efficiently.

Users searching for the National Museum of Korea within the KakaoMap app can view floor-by-floor exhibition hall layouts, along with the locations and detailed information of key artifacts on display in each gallery. The service covers 23 major items in the museum's collection, including the Pensive Bodhisattva and a White Porcelain Moon Jar.

The service also shows the locations of major visitor amenities, including the Children's Museum, library, restrooms and elevators.

During the "Kakao Friends and National Museum Treasure Hunt" event, beginning Saturday and running through May 31, the locations of large themed balloon installations set up across the museum's outdoor grounds will also be visible on the map. The outdoor navigation data has also been updated to improve access directions to the museum.

Kakao said it plans to add a navigation feature for visitors with disabilities and to embed a KakaoMap QR code in printed visitor guides distributed at the museum.

Kakao said the company intends to expand its indoor mapping service to other cultural venues, including galleries and performance halls.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.