Visitor looking at the displays in Room 67

Room 67

Korea

300 BC – present
The Korea Foundation Gallery

Visiting the gallery

Opening times

Daily: 10.00–17.00 (Fridays: 20.30)
See full opening hours

Advance booking advised

Gallery audio guides

Listen on the Audio app, available on the App Store and Google Play.

Plan and book your visit
Find Room 67

Korea has a rich material and visual culture and a long and enduring history.

The Korean peninsula is about as large as the UK. Since 1948 it has been divided into the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north.

This gallery creates an encounter with the peninsula's art, history and culture, through the important collections of the British Museum and also through loans from partner institutions, including the National Museum of Korea.

Building on the strengths of the collections, objects on display date mainly from about AD 300 to the present and include ceramics, metalwork, sculpture, paintings, prints, textiles, lacquer and coins. A reconstruction of a sarangbang, or scholar's study, built by contemporary Korean master craftsmen in summer 2000, displays traditional Korean architecture.

The gallery was created in 2000 thanks to the generosity of the Korea Foundation and refurbished in 2014 with a grant from the National Museum of Korea.

Take a virtual tour

Journey through the Korea gallery to find the elegant white porcelain 'moon jar', plus fascinating objects dating from as far back as AD 300 to the present day.

Buddha statue in the Korea gallery. ©2020 Google.

Highlights

Imaginary, observed, abstract: landscapes in Korean art

15 February –  9 July 2023

Come on a visual journey through mountains, forests, rivers and other vistas, exploring the stories that landscapes tell.

Landscapes have been an important feature throughout the history of East Asian art, often associated with philosophical notions of nature as a place of spiritual renewal.

This small but captivating display of traditional and contemporary art shows landscapes not only in pictorial art, but also on objects including ceramics, a bronze mirror dating from AD 918–1392 and a decorative knife.

Traditional landscapes, such as the beautiful lacquered hat box on display, frequently feature trees and plants imbued with symbolism and fantastical, imaginary peaks. They were often also inhabited by cranes, deer and other auspicious creatures. However, a more realistic landscape tradition emerged in Korea in the late Joseon period (1392 to 1910). Depicting known locations, these works could not only be rich with cultural references but could also convey the artist's personal experiences.

The display features traditional, pre-20th century, as well as modern works by artists such as in Kim Whanki (1913−1974), whose untitled, abstract lithograph captures the essence of a landscape, showcasing the artist's creativity and implicit understanding of his surroundings.

Visiting information

This display is free to visit, just book a timed slot in advance to guarantee entry to the Museum and drop in.

Accessibility

  • A large print guide is available. 
  • Some objects in this collection feature on the British Sign Language multimedia guide. This resource is temporarily unavailable. You can access a selection of BSL films on your own device.
  • Some objects in this collection feature on the audio description guide, available on Soundcloud.
  • Seating is available.
  • Step-free access. 
  • View sensory map.

Visit Accessibility at the Museum for more information.

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