NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

The Korean government didn't do things by halves: this museum, which opened in October 2005, is gigantic. A monster of glass and granite, visible from all over the city. Three floors, divided into two exhibition areas, for a total surface area of 137,201 m². Quite simply one of the largest museums in the world, and a source of pride for Korea

The tour. On the first floor, the permanent collection is arranged in chronological order. On display are the famous Silla royal gold crowns, the magnificent Gaya glassworks, impressive iron armour from the Three Kingdoms, eaten away by rust, and a thousand other archaeological treasures. The basement houses a large collection of Goryeo and Joseon celadon and ceramics, as well as paintings, calligraphy, furniture and objects from the Joseon period. The^2nd and^3rd floors are classified by art. One thousand five hundred pieces of porcelain, celadon, calligraphy, etc., are on display, including two rooms housing the Buddhist art collections, including Baekje's elegant seated meditating bodhisattva and a series of breathtakingly beautiful stone and bronze Buddhas. The^3rd floor also features art from other Asian countries. It's best to spend the day at the museum when the weather doesn't permit outdoor activities (rainy days can be frequent, especially in summer). There's also a children's museum, which can be booked online in advance.

Five must-see masterpieces:

Ten-storey stone pagoda (national treasure no. 86). Hard to miss! It measures no less than 13.5 m, and is displayed on the ground floor. Built for the Gyeongcheongsa temple, it was stolen by the Japanese, but returned to Korea in 1918.

Vessels in the shape of warriors on horseback (national treasure no. 91). Displayed in the Baekje room on the first floor, these two vessels - probably teapots - were found in one of Gyeongju's tombs.

Gilded incense burner from the Baekje period (national treasure no. 287). In the Baekje room on the first floor, one of the most refined objects in the collection.

Gold crown from the Silla period (national treasure no. 191). Exhibited in the Silla Hall, this is the oldest crown found in Gyeongju, and probably the most beautiful too.

Gilded bronze Maitreya in meditation position (national treasure no. 83). Exhibited on the second floor, in the Buddhist sculpture hall, this statue is considered one of the finest examples of Buddhist statuary in Korea.