What is the British Museum showing in London about Korean art and history?

The British Museum is presenting Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity, an exhibition of more than 180 works that moves chronologically from early Iron Age objects and Buddhist art to Goryeo celadon, Joseon-era paintings and modern Korean art. It is arranged in four sections and also includes works from the museum’s own collection.

How is the London version of Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity different from earlier stops?

The London presentation places greater emphasis on archaeology than the previous editions. It also reflects a long-running partnership in which the National Museum of Korea has lent works to support the British Museum’s Korea Gallery since 2000.

Korea's 2,000 years of art, creativity to go on view in London

Q: Why is the Korean exhibition at the British Museum linked to Lee Kun-hee's family donation?

The exhibition is the final stop of an overseas tour built around works donated to the nation by the family of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee in 2021. The tour has already appeared in Washington and Chicago before reaching London.

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Summary

A new British Museum exhibition in London will trace 2,000 years of Korean creativity with more than 180 works from Korea’s national collection. Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity opens Oct. 1 in the Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery and runs through Jan. 31, 2027. It is the final stop of an overseas tour built around works donated by the family of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee in 2021. The show brings together pieces from the National Museum of Korea, MMCA and the British Museum, with greater emphasis on archaeology in London.

Key Facts

The exhibition includes 164 objects from the National Museum of Korea and 15 modern and contemporary works from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.
The exhibition includes 10 national treasures and 13 treasures, according to the Korean museums.
It is jointly organized by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and the British Museum.
The exhibition follows earlier presentations at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., and the Art Institute of Chicago.

By Lee Hae-rin

Published Sep 21, 2026 11:50 am KST

Poster for 'Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity,' an exhibition of Korean art scheduled to open Oct. 1 at the British Museum in London / Courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea — Poster for "Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity," an exhibition of Korean art scheduled to open Oct. 1 at the British Museum in London / Courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

From ancient gilt-bronze ornaments to Nam June Paik’s video sculpture, a new British Museum exhibition will trace 2,000 years of Korean creativity through more than 180 works from Korea’s national collection.

“Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity” opens Oct. 1 at the British Museum’s Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery and runs through Jan. 31, 2027.

Jointly organized by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and the British Museum, it is the final stop of an overseas tour built around works donated to the nation by the family of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee in 2021.

The exhibition follows presentations at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., and the Art Institute of Chicago. It brings together 164 objects from the National Museum of Korea and 15 modern and contemporary works from MMCA, alongside works in the British Museum collection.

Arranged chronologically in four sections, the exhibition moves from early Iron Age archaeological objects and Buddhist art to Goryeo celadon, Joseon-era paintings and modern Korean art, in search of the essence of Korean culture.

The London presentation places greater emphasis on archaeology than its previous editions and includes 10 national treasures and 13 treasures, according to the Korean museums.

The exhibition also reflects the National Museum of Korea’s long-running initiative to support Korean galleries abroad. The museum has lent works to help activate the British Museum’s Korea Gallery since 2000; this exhibition expands that partnership by pairing loans with the host institution’s collections.

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