MMCA - Musée national d'art moderne et contemporain, succursale de Séoul en Corée

MMCA - National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea Seoul Branch

30 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Séoul

4.5

Introduction

In 2013, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, opened on the site of the former headquarters of the Korean Military Office, located next to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The museum introduced the concept of a "plaza," aiming to create a harmonious relationship between the building and its surrounding environment, seamlessly connecting the interior and exterior spaces, and exploring new topics related to the establishment of an art museum in the city center and its relationship with visitors. This museum presents a new vision for the art museum of the 21st century. The location of this modern art museum has a long and rich history. During the Joseon Dynasty, it was the site of the Office of Inspector General, the Office of Family Origin, the Kwanghwa Gate, and the Office of Royal Counsel. During the Japanese occupation period, it served as the capital army hospital and the associated medical school. After the Korean War, it became the affiliated hospital of Seoul National University Medical College, the capital general hospital of the Korean army, and the headquarters of the military office, and was regarded as the center of political and cultural activities. In 1981, the buildings of the Office of Family Origin and the Hall of Ancestral Tablets were moved to the current location of the Seoul Museum of Art, and it was only in 2010 that they were relocated back to their original site based on the original model of the Office of Family Origin and underwent restoration. When it was relocated in 2008, the former headquarters of the Korean Military Office, which had retained elements of the Japanese colonial period hospital building, was designated as National Treasure No. 375. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, has preserved and utilized the historically significant buildings of the Office of Family Origin and the military office. This open museum will serve as a space that accommodates various forms of art, embracing both tradition and contemporary art.