The Museum of My Life: Kim Yongdu’s Donation at Jinju National Museum
Read the Korean original
At a glance
Official information verified- Dates
- 2026-09-22 ~ 2027-02-28
- Venue
- Jinju National Museum, special exhibition gallery
- Hours
- 09:00–18:00; last admission 17:30. Closed Mondays, January 1 and the main Lunar New Year and Chuseok days; holiday Monday closure moves to the next weekday
- Admission
- Museum free; Jinjuseong admission separate
- Address
- 626-35 Namgang-ro, Jinju
The Museum of My Life follows collector Kim Yongdu (1922–2003) through the cultural objects he donated. The exhibition runs from September 22, 2026 to February 28, 2027, ahead of the thirtieth anniversary of his first donation in 1997.
Visit details
- Dates: 2026-09-22 – 2027-02-28
- Venue: Jinju National Museum, special exhibition gallery
- Address: 626-35 Namgang-ro, Jinju
- Hours: 09:00–18:00; last admission 17:30. Closed Mondays, January 1 and the main Lunar New Year and Chuseok days; holiday Monday closure moves to the next weekday
- Admission: Museum free; Jinjuseong admission separate
The Museum of My Life: from collecting to sharing
The full donation comprises 197 items in 164 entries; this exhibition presents 173 items in 146 entries. Further donations followed in 2000 and 2001. Keeping these totals separate helps explain the exhibition’s scope. The central question is how objects that once belonged to one person became available to a wider public.
Compare different kinds of line
Highlights include three moon jars, the Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers and calligraphy by King Jeongjo. This is Jinju’s first exhibition devoted to the Duam donation since the 2011 Spring Outing of the Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang. Compare the rounded outlines of ceramics with painted landscapes and written strokes, then consult the labels for each object’s title and date.
A life alongside the objects
A dragon-decorated jar that prompted his collecting, a 1986 presentation at Japan’s Museum Yamato Bunkakan and his first return to Korea in 1994 offer context for the collection. Choose one object to discuss with your companion. This is an editorial viewing suggestion, not a scheduled guided program.
Allow for two admission systems
The museum is inside Jinjuseong Fortress. Museum entry is free, but ordinary nonresident fortress admission is listed as KRW 2,000 for adults, 1,000 for teenagers and 600 for children, with separate exemption rules. Visit the exhibition before an outdoor walk: museum entry ends at 17:30. Check holiday notices before traveling. Museum inquiries: 055-740-0698.
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Official sources
Information checked: September 24, 2026