Donuimun Museum Village

Basic Information

Overview

Donuimun is more familiar as Seodaemun, the large gate on the west side of the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In 1915, during the Japanese colonial period, Donuimun Gate was demolished for road expansion under the name of city planning. Afterward, the Saemunan Town was built inside the site of the Donuimun Gate. However, it has been reborn as Donuimun Museum Village today after overcoming the crisis of demolition in the early 21st century. In the village, which was reborn through the Seoul-type urban regeneration method, 40 out of 63 existing houses were maintained and repaired, exhibition halls and education halls were built, and some houses were demolished to create outdoor spaces. Many attractions throughout the village subtly reproduce Seoul's modern and contemporary alleys and shops, and various performances and flea markets are held occasionally. 

Attractions

Under the project called ‘100 years of Seoul,’ the entire village is decorated as a giant exhibition hall, and each space possesses various modern and contemporary scenes of Seoul. The exhibition section is divided into a temporary exhibition and a permanent exhibition. The experience space includes the Hanok Experience Hall, where various art experiences are made, and the Donuimun History Hall, which was created by remodeling a restaurant in the old Saemunan Town. The gaming and comic book room are also decorated in a retro style, contributing to a trip for adults. Visitors can watch cartoons and movies released in the 1960s and 1980s at the Saemunan Theater, or take a photo at the Samgeori Photo Studio and keep it as a souvenir. The media art show Sihwaillyul (a literary theory that the principle and realm of creation of poetry and painting are the same) expresses the history of Seoul through lights, sound, and music, and can be enjoyed through the wall of the village information center as a screen. Donuimun Market, an occasional flea market that reinterprets the old village market to suit the present, buys and sells various items that reflect the lifestyle of Seoul citizens.

Accessibility 

The entryway is wide and gently inclined so anyone, including wheelchair users, can freely move around. The main entrance is flat and wide. The surface road of the village is generally flat and Most buildings have ramps or elevators. However, Since it is a space created using the old building, some buildings do not have elevtors, In some areas, access to wheelchair users may not be easy. There are elevators and an accessible restroom for persons with disabilities that are comfortable to use. The nursing room and diaper changing station are at the Seoul Hall of Urbanism & Architecture in Donuimun Museum Village. The parking facilities for persons with disabilities are near the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Seoul Museum of History parking lots.