Thank you for your visit to Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art.

After a long preparation, it is a great pleasure to open Leeum to the world as a repository of art and culture, committed to creating a dialogue between Korean and foreign art.

Since its establishment in 1965, the Samsung Foundation of Culture has committed itself to the preservation and exhibition of Korean cultural heritage. Beginning with Korean artifacts collected by the late Samsung Chairman, Byung-Chull Lee (pen-name Ho-Am), the Samsung Foundation of Culture has been operating the Ho-Am Art Museum , the Ho-Am Art Gallery, and the Rodin Gallery. Following the example set by Ho-Am, Samsung Museum of Art, has dedicated himself to both the preservation of Korean art history and the exhibition of modern and contemporary works by Korean and foreign artists.

We now invite you to experience these collections within the newly opened Leeum.

Three buildings make up the composite complex. MUSEUM 1 of Leeum is devoted to the exhibition of traditional Korean artwork. MUSEUM 2 of Leeum showcases modern and contemporary works by both Korean and foreign artists. Finally, the Samsung Child Education & Culture Center supplements the two Museums by contributing to the cultural education of our future leaders.

This new cultural complex was designed by three internationally acclaimed architects, Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas. The three buildings exist in harmony with each other, though each piece has its own uniqueness. These architectural works are designed to accommodate the past, present, and future of art and culture.

Sited on the gentle slope of Namsan Mountain and flanked by a vista of the Hangang River, Leeum will provide a unique environment to house the comprehensive collections of traditional and contemporary art in Korea. The Museum will be a nexus of culture, linking important nearby cultural facilities including the National Museum in Yongsan and the National Theater on Namsan Mountain. This new cultural destination will give the area an expanded cultural presence in the city. Dedicated to being the foremost Museum in Korea to bridge the countrys artistic heritage with its contemporary art practices, Leeum will be an ever evolving and dynamic institution committed to establishing the finest permanent collections and temporary exhibitions in the country.

In this space harmonizing the city, architecture, and nature, everyone will be able to participate and enjoy dialogue between art, people, and culture that transcends the past, the present, and the future.
Thank you.

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art