What is your favorite thing to do on a dreary, cloudy day? One of ours is to visit the local museums, treasure chests of days gone by and memories and a passing mind. We’re both history nerds and proud of it!
We’ve been to the Seoul national Museum several times on past visits, but the place is ginormous. Over 6 years, we have almost seen it all. . . and have the millions of photos to prove it. 🤣
Other articles will cover floors 1 and 2 but this trip was 3rd floor . . . we got halfway through. 😋
Directions (🧭): Take Line 4 or Gyeongui-Jungang Line to Ichon station. The signs mark the exit, and museum courtyard has its own exit near Exit 2. You’ll walk through a long hallway with a moving walkway and light displays of the more famous exhibitions. This is a cool thing all by itself! Easy-Peasy!
Coming up out of the subway, you’ll see the museum and two pathways. If you following the main paved path, it’s okay. But if you pay attention, there is a bamboo-lined walkway up to the entrance and it’s breathtaking. A moment of peace and whispering leaves in the middle of a busy city. Kind of reminds Liv of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – or a hundred other historical dramas.
We are trying to learn more about our cameras. One is a Sony Cybershot DSC HX-300. Its lens is sticking – (Error msg 62:10). Such a sadness! It costs real money to get it fixed. 😢 Our shoestring is groaning at the thought!
The other is a Sony Mirrorless A6300 that’s relatively new to us. The workings of the two are comfortably similar but quite different. At this point the cybershot seems best for long zoom shots; while the A6300 has a second lens for closer shots. It is the close shots that the cybershot is really messed up on, so all together . . . Life is good!
Sony A6300 
Sony Cybershot
When we got the A6300 it came with a little tripod. I was so excited because my hands shake like a tambourine. SEE! 🤣
We watched a video on using a tripod with a 2 second delay to fix this! SWEET! We really had high expectations going into the museum. But then, sadness 😭 – the museum wouldn’t let us use the tripod. I can tell you I was definitely POUTING! Sheesh! 🤣
After I got over that . . . we started testing our new knowledge on using ISO, Speed, EV, and F combinations to change light, color, blurring, etc. Don’t we sound savvy 😂 We’ve been watching tutorials and wanted to test it first in non-moving objects — let’s start with the easy ones 😋
It was all very interesting . . . . Problem is, when I got home to study what I’d done on the computer’s bigger screen, I couldn’t tell which setting were used. 🤔 😂🤣😂
After much frustration (some people are ugly criers, I am an ugly frustrationer 😛), we found out that you can view the settings used for a photo on your camera as long as the photo is still there. If you open the photo viewer tool on your camera and click through ‘Display’ options button, the ISO, Exposure, Aperture, etc. will show up for that specific photo. COOL!
More experienced photographers may have a better way and we would love to know it!
Nearby Activities (🍔☕): Outside the museum is a lovely, landscaped courtyard that includes a burger joint and a Twosome Place for nice drinks. Both were closed but it is a lovely spot to visit with family and friends.
Price (🤑): The museum itself is free! 🤩
The museum also has a lovely (rather expensive) coffee shop, a gift shop, nice restrooms, and lockers where you can secure all your flotsam and jetsam.
Very visitor friendly . . .except nothing said we couldn’t use the tripod which I had to carry all day . . . still pouting! 😑
Front Entrance – Now has Security Checkpoint 
Amenities (🧳🚽🛍)On another trip, the gift shop did mess up the tax exempt situation. They didn’t provide the refund there and gave us the wrong receipt for the airport—Lesson learned: Be Very Sure! That being said the gift shop has some lovely items.
To get Tax-Free Exemption, you need to pay careful attention — Korea has been frustratingly unclear on the process in recent years. Some stores refund on site – no airport necessary. Others do not. Know the different. To get tax-free at the airport, you’ll need a special receipt that says something about ‘tax free’ on it. Not all stores provide that receipt automatically. Verify. — The Korean Museum is one of those that promises ‘Tax Free’ but did not refund on site or provide the needed receipt.
The Display!
Third floor (Side A – I think? – on the right) included displays of China, Egypt, India, and Japan. Don’t worry – it’s a Korean museum – those artifacts are Floors 1 & 2 😂 There are some amazing pieces and displays in the collection!
Egypt
India (Where the air is filled with spices!)
China
This little guy is a personal fave – a tomb guardian sent to terrify intruders. Except they look more like the ghost has arisen with a really bad hair day. Shock! 😱 Horror! Dismay. . . . . . 😂 Liv still laughs every time she sees the picture – they just look so disgusted
Japan
The changing seasons display with audio from the Chinese section is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. ❤📸 The five panels are actually one image with birds, creatures, and people moving from panel to panel across the display. The image shifts smoothly to reflect the changing seasons against a traditional painting-esque background.
A Life Sojourning 