Special Exhibition
Korea
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Free
British Museum
Korea
Exhibition
/
01 October 2026 – 31 January 2027
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Supported by
Corporate partner
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Attributed to the Royal Bureau of Painting, Sun, Moon and Five Peaks, six-panel folding screen; ink and colour painting, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 1800s. Photo © National Museum of Korea.
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1 October 2026 – 31 January 2027
Daily: 10.00–17.00 (Fridays 20.30)
See full opening hours
Room 35
The Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery
Find Room 35 (Opens in new window)
Tickets
Save with our early bird offer. Adults from £14. See ticket information
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Discover 2,000 years of Korean creativity – through works spanning from around 300 BC to the present day.
Featuring outstanding examples of sculpture, painting and decorative arts over two millennia – up to the present day – the exhibition presents the most comprehensive chronological survey of Korean visual and material culture seen in Europe for over 40 years.
This major exhibition draws almost exclusively from the 23,000 works bequeathed in 2021 by the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-Hee to the National Museum of Korea (NMK) and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). It offers a dynamic journey through the art and material culture of the last 2,000 years. It also includes many National Treasures or Treasures, objects so designated for their exceptionally high quality and historical significance.
From ancient gold body ornaments and Buddhist icons to 12th- and 13th-century celadon-glazed stoneware, evocative ink landscapes and contemporary works responding to the turbulence of the 20th century, the objects on display tell a panoramic story of the history of Korea. Originally created for settings including royal tombs and palaces, Buddhist temples, scholars' studios, private homes and modern art spaces, most of the objects have never been seen in the UK before.
Highlights
1 / 10
- Pedestal with animal figurines
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Pedestal with animal figurines
- Avalokiteshvara holding a kundika
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Avalokiteshvara holding a kundika
- Gourd-shaped ewer with chrysanthemum design
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Gourd-shaped ewer with chrysanthemum design
- The Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra
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The Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra
- Flaming mirror on lion-shaped pedestal
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Flaming mirror on lion-shaped pedestal
- 'Sun, Moon and Five Peaks' six-panel folding screen
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'Sun, Moon and Five Peaks' six-panel folding screen
- Clearing after rain on Mount Inwang
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Clearing after rain on Mount Inwang
- Faceted bottle with bamboo design
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Faceted bottle with bamboo design
- Tiger and magpie
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Tiger and magpie
- Woman in a red dress
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Woman in a red dress
Free exhibition entry
Become a Member and enjoy 12 months of free entry to all special exhibitions.
Explore 'Korea'
Exhibitions and events / 8 June 2026
Introduction to 'Korea'
Sang-ah Kim explores 2,000 years of Korean art, revealing how global connections have shaped Korea's cultural identity today.
Read more
'BTS THE CITY ARIRANG' Korea gallery trail
Take a whirlwind tour of the Korea gallery, inspired by Korean band BTS's new album and the Museum's upcoming 'Korea' exhibition.
Ticket information
How to book
- Advance booking – strongly recommended
Book online (Opens in new window) or call the Box Office on +44(0)20 7323 8181 (phone lines open 10.00–16.50, Mon–Fri)
See ticket terms and conditions
Considering becoming a Member? Find out more about Membership benefits, including free exhibition entry.
- Members
Free entry, no booking needed.
Current Members can find out more on Visiting as a Member.
- Group tickets
Special rates for groups of 10 or more are available Monday to Friday. Please call the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181 (phone lines open 10.00–16.50, Mon–Fri).
Non-Museum guided tours and tour groups, regardless of size, will not be permitted.
See ticket terms and conditions and our Visitor guidelines and conditions of entry.
- Complimentary passes and cards
Agreed reciprocals and passes from ICOM, ICOMOS, MA and NMDC will be valid every day in person, subject to availability. Advance booking online is available for Tuesday only.
- Donor and Patron card holders
All British Museum Donor and Patron cards will continue to be accepted, subject to availability. If you know you want to visit at a particular date and time, please get in touch with your lead Philanthropy Team or Patrons contact or email development@britishmuseum.org.
Ticket prices – early bird offer
Our limited-period early bird ticket prices are detailed below. No booking code is required.
Standard pricing:
| Adults | £16 |
| Adults + £2 donation | £18 |
| Under 16s | Free. Please book your under 16s ticket alongside an accompanying adult ticket. Maximum of four under 16s per ticketed adult. |
| Seniors (60+) | £16 |
| Students and 16–18 years | £14 |
| Jobseekers | £14 |
| Disabled visitors | £14<br>Assistant free, booking required |
| National Art Pass | £8 |
| Members | Free |
Off-peak pricing:
| Adults | £14 |
| Adults + £2 donation | £16 |
| Under 16s | Free. Please book your under 16s ticket alongside an accompanying adult ticket. Maximum of four under 16s per ticketed adult. |
| Seniors (60+) | £14<br>£7 after 12.00 on Mondays, book online or by calling the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181 (phone lines open 10.00–16.50, Mon–Fri). |
| Students and 16–18 years | £12<br>2-for-1 on Fridays |
| Jobseekers | £12 |
| Disabled visitors | £12<br>Assistant free, booking required |
| Groups | £12 per person<br>Weekdays only, advance booking required, group organiser free. Please call the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181 (phone lines open 10.00–16.50, Mon–Fri). |
| National Art Pass | £7 |
| Members | Free |
Prices may vary.
Some prices include a small donation. By adding this small donation you can turn any eligible tickets into Donation Tickets, and if you choose to also Gift Aid your tickets, we can claim 25% extra on the whole price of your ticket from the government, if you are a UK taxpayer. The option to Gift Aid your donations is on the payment page. Thank you.
Opening hours
Daily 10.00–17.00 (20.30 Fridays)
Exhibition entry is timed. First available timed slot is at 10.00 and the last timed slot will be 15.50 (19.10 Fridays). See the booking page for available slots.
Please note we begin clearing exhibitions 10 minutes before they close.
Members
Members don't need to book to visit Korea. Please show your Membership card to gain entry. If you're visiting before your Membership card arrives, bring your Membership purchase confirmation email to the Membership Desk in the Great Court on the day of your visit. We'll then issue a temporary card to access your on-site benefits.
Please see our Visiting as a Member page for more information on visiting the Museum.
Schools
School mornings
Schools can pre-book entry to the exhibition, alongside other schools on the following dates:
- Wednesday 14 October 2026
- Thursday 19 November 2026
- Wednesday 9 December 2026
Education tickets are also available to pre-book alongside the general public on term time weekdays. Tickets must be pre-booked via the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181.
Access
Exhibition layout
This exhibition will take approximately one hour to enjoy.
The entrance to Room 35 is via the Great Court on Upper floor, Level 1. Find Room 35 (Opens in new window) on our map.
Within the exhibition there will be benches where you can sit. A limited number of folding stools are available at the Main entrance on Great Russell Street. Please drop these off as you exit the Museum.
Find out more about accessibility at the Museum.
Quieter visiting times
The first and final weekends of our special exhibitions tend to be much busier than average, with overall higher attendance during the final weeks. For a quieter time, we recommend midweek visits during the middle of the run.
Exhibition supporters
Supported by
This exhibition, drawn from the National Bequest of Lee Kun-Hee's Collection, is organised by the British Museum, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.
The British Museum gratefully acknowledges its long-standing partnership with the National Museum of Korea. This exhibition has been made possible through a grant awarded by the National Museum of Korea's Overseas Korean Galleries Support Programme.
Corporate partner
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