A new opportunity is arriving for local communities to encounter national treasures and cultural heritage within their own regions.
The National Museum of Korea announced that “National Treasures on Tour: Treasures Visiting Our Neighborhood” will be held through August 9 at Jincheon Bell Museum, Yeongam Pottery Museum, and Uiryeong Righteous Army Museum.
The exhibitions are jointly organized by the three regional museums together with Cheongju National Museum, Naju National Museum, and Jinju National Museum. Local governments in Jincheon, Yeongam, and Uiryeong are also participating as partner institutions.
The exhibition currently underway at Jincheon Bell Museum is titled “Royal Blue-and-White Porcelain: Elegance and Authority in Blue Light.” On May 21, Yeongam Pottery Museum will open “Masterpieces of Baekje: Baekje Patterned Bricks.” Beginning June 10, Uiryeong Righteous Army Museum will present “Flowers Blooming on Ceramics: Inlaid Celadon.”
Visitors will be able to encounter representative Korean cultural artifacts previously familiar mainly through textbooks and major museums in Seoul. National treasures and cultural properties, including White Porcelain Jar with Openwork Peony Scroll Design, Dragon Pattern Brick, and Celadon Jar with Inlaid Peony Design, will travel to the three regions.
Over the past two years, the “National Treasures on Tour” project has visited 20 regions across the country and attracted approximately 460,000 visitors. The program has drawn strong responses from local residents by allowing them to experience national treasures and cultural artifacts at nearby museums without traveling to Seoul or the metropolitan area.
Now entering its third year, the project has been designed to reflect regional characteristics and local interests. In Yeongam, Uiryeong, and Jincheon, visitors will encounter representative cultural heritage spanning from the Baekje Kingdom to the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Concerts, educational programs, lectures, field trips, and hands-on experiences will also accompany the exhibitions.
At Jincheon Bell Museum, “Royal Blue-and-White Porcelain: Elegance and Authority in Blue Light” highlights the refined aesthetics and royal symbolism of Joseon blue-and-white porcelain. Five works, including the White Porcelain Jar with Openwork Peony Scroll Design, are on display.
On May 30, Jincheon County Symphony Orchestra will hold a commemorative outdoor concert titled “Blue Melodies, Encountering Treasures” in front of the museum. During the exhibition period, programs including “Peer Docent Leaders,” in which teenagers guide fellow youth visitors through the exhibition, and “Encountering Intangible Heritage,” an educational program linked with Chungcheongbuk-do master ceramic artisans, will also take place.
At Yeongam Pottery Museum, “Masterpieces of Baekje: Baekje Patterned Bricks” will run from May 21 through August 2. The exhibition introduces eight artifacts across six categories, including Dragon Pattern Brick, presenting the sculptural beauty and ornamental aesthetics of Baekje decorative art. Visitors will be able to closely examine the craftsmanship and design sensibilities of Baekje artisans within a regional museum setting.
Programs for children and families are also planned. On June 6 and 7, outdoor cultural events will feature performances recreating Baekje court musicians, magic shows, and Baekje-themed quiz programs. Throughout the exhibition period, additional programs including wooden frame-making inspired by Baekje landscape-pattern bricks, keyring workshops, youth docent activities, and humanities lectures will also be offered.
At Uiryeong Righteous Army Museum, “Flowers Blooming on Ceramics: Inlaid Celadon” will be held from June 10 through August 9. The exhibition introduces six works, including the National Treasure Celadon Jar with Inlaid Peony Design, showcasing both the refined elegance of Goryeo celadon and the advanced craftsmanship of the Sanggam (象嵌) inlay technique.
Three pieces of inlaid celadon donated by the late Lee Kun-hee are also included in the exhibition. The presentation carries additional significance because Uiryeong is the hometown of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul, allowing regional audiences to encounter donated cultural heritage connected to local history.
Associated programs will also accompany the exhibition. On June 19, the humanities concert “Humanities Blooming on Inlaid Celadon” will take place. On June 27, visitors can join a historical field trip to the Gangjin Goryeo Celadon Museum. Children’s cultural programs titled “Inlaid Celadon Born Through Magic Inside the Museum” will also be held over two weekends in June, while a hands-on workshop called “Making Goryeo Celadon with My Own Hands” will operate throughout the exhibition period.
The National Museum of Korea stated that it plans to continue expanding the traveling exhibition project in cooperation with regional museums, creating exhibitions and programs that reflect local characteristics and public demand so that more citizens can encounter cultural heritage within everyday reach.
Promotional content has also been produced for this year’s edition. A miniature-themed video depicting treasures preparing for travel was released on social media platforms. The video was created using 3D data from major national treasures and cultural artifacts housed at the National Museum of Korea.
A publication titled “National Treasures Arriving in Our Neighborhood” has also been released, documenting the project’s purpose and journey. The book includes the background of the traveling exhibition initiative, exhibition planning processes, regional collaboration cases, and operational experiences.
Yoo Hong-jun said, “The National Treasures on Tour project is intended to allow regional communities to share and enjoy Korea’s cultural heritage together while enabling museums and local communities to grow alongside one another. We will continue working to ensure that more people can encounter our cultural heritage at nearby museums.”
The traveling exhibition series will continue during the second half of the year. Beginning in September, additional exhibitions including “Golden Crowns and Golden Bells: Accompanying Young Spirits” at Cheongdo Museum, “Bronze Ritual Vessels Bearing the Age of Agriculture” at Gochang Dolmen Museum, and “Falling Into the Pure Beauty of Joseon White Porcelain” at Seongsan-dong Ancient Tombs Exhibition Hall are scheduled to open sequentially.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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