The National Archives of the Joseon Dynasty Museum Panorama. /Photo provided by the National Heritage Administration,
The National Palace Museum, under the National Heritage Administration, will fully open the National Archives of the Joseon Dynasty Museum on May 1.
The Archives Museum is a specialized museum that exhibits the original copies of the Joseon Dynasty Annals and Uigwe from the Odaesan Archive. It opened in November 2023 and temporarily closed for 10 months from July last year to expand its exhibition facilities and content. The total number of visitors is 44,980.
On the full opening day, there will be a special exhibition titled “Path to Odaesan Archive.” This exhibition will feature around 30 artifacts shedding light on the establishment, operation, and decline of the Odaesan Archive that housed the annals. Maps and albums from the Joseon Dynasty, such as Dongyeodo and Gwandongmyeongseungcheop, will also be displayed.
Additionally, a guestbook left by Kim Jeong-hee, a master of late-Joseon calligraphy, after his visit to the Odaesan Archive for “Posae” will be unveiled for the first time. Posae refers to the regular airing and drying of books by officials to protect the moisture-sensitive volumes.
The Archives Museum has also created a new film room in line with the digital video era. Two 15-minute films, reinterpreting the storage process at the Odaesan Archive with a modern sensibility, will be screened. They use a video technique that splits the screen into parts and rearranges different combinations of these parts to create visual changes.
A new Children’s Museum has been established, designed to be easily understood by children under the theme “The Forest King’s Treasure House, Odaesan Archive.” It includes exhibitions and an experience space modeled after the ‘Sagak,’ the building that preserved the annals of Odaesan Archive.
The day before the full opening, an opening ceremony will be held with the attendance of major figures, including National Heritage Administrator Choi Eung-cheon. During the holiday period, events with famous webtoon artist Mujeok Pink and cartoonist Park Si-baek are planned.
Admission to the Archives Museum is free, and it is closed every Monday.
A representative from the National Archives of the Joseon Dynasty Museum stated, “We will strive to become a world-class museum with international stature through various exhibitions, educational, and experience programs utilizing the Annals and Uigwe, which are globally recognized records of Korean heritage.”