Korean Stone Art Museum

Top choice in Northern Seoul


A score of centuries-old stone sentinels stand guard on the hillside at this terrific museum overlooking Seongbuk-dong. A road winds through sculpted gardens revealing collections of various stone figures as you go. You'll learn to tell your muninseok from your dongjaseok (the former wear the hats of government officials while the latter have double-knot hairdos); there's also more crudely carved beoksu – totems placed at the entrance to Korean villages to protect against evil spirits and illnesses.

Start by working your way up through the interior galleries before heading out to the gardens via the roof. To get here, take bus 2 from outside Hansung University station. Korean Stone Art Museum is the last stop.

There's also a Buddhist temple, Jeongbeopsa, next door, and the start of a marked hiking trail up the back of Bukaksan.


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