It’s been a little longer than usual since I posted anything on here (although it’s really been less than a week, so I highly doubt anyone was feeling Ashley-deprived) and since my parents officially left Korea yesterday (boo!) I thought I’d share the last adventure we went on with them before dropping them off at the airport. We stopped by the War Memorial of Korea. It had been on my bucket list since we arrived on the Peninsula, but I just never made time to see it. That is, until yesterday. And spoiler: it exceeded any and ALL expectations I had for it.

The War Memorial of Korea

The War Memorial of Korea is filled with all the things that any history-lover would want. Monuments and memorials honoring fallen soldiers, various pieces of machinery from various wars, and amazing interactive and immersive experiences for all ages.

Of course, the museum was based around Korea’s war history. But it’s impossible to learn about the Korean War without also including some American history as well. And, as an American, I love learning more about the part my country played in the conflict (the good AND the bad). The main square in front of the museum includes a beautiful half-circle of flags from all of the countries who came to South Korea’s aid during the Korean War. On each individual memorial is listed the number of troops that were sent, as well as the number of people wounded and killed in battle. It’s a sacred place – thinking of all those who fought and lost their lives in the fight for freedom – and one that serves as a stark reminder of the tragedies faced by South Korea and other countries in the recent past.

One of the highlights of our visit to the War Memorial was exploring the Chamsuri – a ROK Navy high-speed patrol boat that was riddled with bullet holes and included a video presentation in the bottom portion of the vessel. We could walk on all levels of the craft and the kids thought it was the coolest thing ever. Honestly, they could have spent hours just playing on the boat, pretending to drive it and playing along with the war sounds that were playing over a speaker in the control room.

It was just the kind of interactive experience that could get my kids interested in history. Because, let’s be honest, my kids absolutely do NOT take after me in that area. I’ve tried many things to get them to enjoy history as much as I do, and this was just the thing!

The day we went was hot and humid – as is the norm for South Korea in mid-September – so we didn’t spend as much time outside as we would have if the weather had been cooler. Still, you could spend hours at the museum and never actually go inside. I was blown away by the amount of aircraft, tanks, missiles, helicopters, and other vehicles that sat in the square to the left of the main entrance. Most vehicles were either from the United States or South Korea. Some of them were open for exploration, while others could be viewed only from the outside. Still, I can’t remember the last time I’d seen so many military vehicles in one place – and I really can only describe it as incredible.

After exploring as much of the outside exhibits as we could stand in the heat, we headed into the Children’s Museum. There were activities at the beginning that taught how Korea overcame the Japanese Imperialists, what led to the Korean War, and what South Korea is doing now to foster cooperation and eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula. And they do it all in a way that is appropriate for even young children. Aside from being informative and educational, the activities they had for the kids were so fun. Our 11-year-old was a LITTLE old for most of the Children’s Museum, but she managed to have a good time along with her younger siblings. NOTE: see the “Children’s Museum” section at the bottom of this post for more information on visiting this part of the War Memorial.

One of the more sobering parts of the museum was seeing the giant slabs with names of individuals who died defending South Korea. With around 1.3 million South Korean casualties in just the Korean War ALONE, it would be impossible for every single person to be represented. Still, seeing the dozens of slabs with thousands of names is humbling. It makes you stop and think and feel so much gratitude for those who fight and die for freedom and for the protection of others.

One of my favorite parts of the whole museum was seeing the giant Turtle Ship inside one of the exhibition halls. Although this ship is only about one-tenth of the size of the real ones, it was still impressive, to say the least. We first learned about the Turtle Ships during our visit to Hyeonchungsa Shrine where we first learned about Admiral Yi-Sun Sin and his incredible successes in war. His invention of the Turtle Ships changed how the Korean Peninsula was able to fight the Japanese forces in ways that were unheard of at the time. If you’re looking for another free activity to do, I highly recommend visiting Hyeonchungsa Shrine in Asan.

This was such a fun item to check off my bucket list and it was wonderful to be able to experience it with my parents. There was so much to see that we didn’t even get close to finishing it all in the three hours we spent there. We plan to go back with Brandon sometime when he doesn’t have to work because it was just THAT cool!

’til next time…

Ash

How to visit the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul

Directions & Parking: The War Memorial of Korea is located just down the street from the walk-out gate at Yongsan Base. If you’re staying at Dragon Hill Lodge (or if you’re just parking at the hotel for the day), it’s about a 5-10 minute walk to the museum. However, there is also a small parking lot, as well as underground parking available at the museum. To get to the small lot, paste 서울 용산구 이태원로 29 into Naver or use this link to navigate to the small parking lot. Parking fills up on busier days, so plan to get there early. Parking is paid, and we paid ₩7,000 for about three hours. Even if you’re walking from Yongsan, you can still use the same pin.

Public Transportation: If you’re taking the subway, the closest station to the War Memorial is Samgakji Station. If you plan to take the bus, you’ll take number 740 and get off at War Memorial Hall of Korea.

Hours: 
CLOSED MONDAYS
Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30am – 6:00pm

Cost: FREE

Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum portion of the War Memorial is also free, but online it says that a reservation is required. I had been unable to navigate the online reservation system, but because we were there on a slow day, they accepted our party of 8 as walk-ins. For more information about the Children’s Museum or to make a reservation, visit the War Memorial’s website.

Amenities: There were cafés scattered throughout the museum, as well as a convenience store, café, and restaurant outside of the museum. Bathrooms were plentiful and there were drinking fountains located throughout the exhibits.

Accessibility: The museum is largely accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. There were a few exhibitions that required stairs, but most also included either a ramp or an elevator to access them.