Museum of antiquity in Seoul opens portal to modern Europe

Children take part in a cultural exchange program at the Hanseong Baekje Museum in Seoul. Courtesy of Hanseong Baekje Museum

The ancient kingdom of Baekje once thrived as a vibrant crossroads of East Asian cultural exchange, connecting the traditions of the Korean Peninsula, China and Japan. Today, a municipal museum dedicated to preserving that legacy is expanding its historical mandate, transforming itself into a modern gateway for global diversity — one child at a time.

The Hanseong Baekje Museum announced Thursday a collaborative educational initiative with European cultural institutions designed to introduce young Koreans to foreign cultures through hands-on creative play. The program underscores a growing movement among Seoul’s public institutions to foster global citizenship and creative thinking in early childhood education.

The initiative’s centerpiece, a workshop titled "COSTRUIAMO" (Let’s Build!), will debut July 10 in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul. The program aims to translate Italy’s towering architectural history and design philosophy into an interactive playground. Children will experiment with spatial concepts, building their own miniature structures to naturally absorb European aesthetic traditions.

"The museum is no longer just a static repository for learning about the past," said Kim Ji-yeon, the director of the Hanseong Baekje Museum. "It is an open learning environment where children can encounter and understand diverse cultures, growing to understand a wider world through high-quality cultural and artistic experiences."

The Italian architecture workshop follows the success of last month’s "Cultural Salon with the World," an event co-organized with the Embassy of France. That program featured renowned French picture book author Anne Laval, who led children through an artistic exploration of the seasons using stamps and illustrations.

The upcoming Italian program will be split into two sessions to accommodate different age groups. The first session, tailored for young children from age 7 up to second grade, along with their families, will take place at the Seoul Baekje Dream Village. A second, more advanced evening session for third and fourth graders will follow at the main Hanseong Baekje Museum.

Registration opens Friday on a first-come, first-served basis through the Seoul Metropolitan Government's public reservation portal.

Hanseong Baekje Museum officials said they plan to expand partnerships with foreign embassies and international cultural centers, ensuring that the next generation of Seoul's citizens remains deeply connected to the world beyond their borders.

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