Tourist Attractions & Monuments South Korea

Timetable

In most places to visit in Korea, you'll find similar opening hours. They open between 9 and 10 am and close between 5 and 6 pm. It's worth noting that in summer, opening times are slightly longer, by half an hour to an hour. Some museums offer late-night opening on Fridays and Saturdays. But this is of course on a case-by-case basis. Please note that admission closes 30 minutes to 1 hour before closing time.

Closing days are often Mondays, as well as national holidays: New Year's Day (January¹ ), Lunar New Year's Day (varies every year), Independence Day (March¹ ), Buddha's Birthday (varies every year), Chuseok (varies every year), Foundation Day (October 30).

To be booked

For a simple visit to a museum, a palace... there's no need to make a reservation. You do, however, need to make a reservation if you want a guided tour in English, or if you want to take part in a particular activity organized by the site (painting, sculpture, music, cooking...).

The only place where reservations are required is in the DMZ, the demilitarized zone. You'll need to go through a certified Korean tourist agency.

Budget & Tips

Entrance fees for history and culture museums are generally very affordable, rarely exceeding 2,000 won. The same applies to temples, which are often free of charge; the only possible surcharges are for parking.

It's worth noting that the last Wednesday of the month is Culture Day in South Korea. This means you can take advantage of discounts or free admission to many sites. And if you're wearing a hanbok (traditional Korean garb), you can enter Seoul's palaces completely free of charge.

It's also worth noting that for people over 65 and children under 7, most sites and visits are still free. However, you must be able to prove your age with official identification (a passport is ideal).

Main events

It's certainly THE country of festivals! They're everywhere, all the time. Celebrating history, Buddha, food... To find out more, go to the "diary" section, where we've selected the best festivals and events not to be missed, month by month.

Guided tours

Only the most important museums and historic sites offer guided tours in English. Reservations are essential in these cases. Only one site requires a reservation: the DMZ. You can't go there on your own; you have to go through a duly sworn agency.

Smokers

As everywhere in Korea, it's a real pain for smokers. Not surprisingly, smoking is not allowed in museums, but neither is smoking in the vicinity (the place has to be kept clean). So take precautions.