Leeum Museum of Art brings together traditional Korean art and contemporary work in a compact, architecturally distinctive campus on the hillside of Hannam-dong in Seoul. Established in 2004 by the Samsung Foundation of Culture to preserve and share its art collection with the public, Leeum is housed in three buildings designed by Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas, and is now considered one of Korea’s leading art museums.

1. Why this place is important
   Leeum is a key institution for understanding both Korea’s artistic heritage and its place in global contemporary art, showing celadons, Buddhist sculpture, and royal treasures alongside works by major modern and contemporary artists. It also reflects Samsung’s long-term role as a cultural patron: the museum grows out of the Samsung Foundation’s collection and continues to collaborate closely with Samsung Electronics on digital projects that share Korean art with audiences worldwide.

   
   

2. What visitors actually see
   Museum 1 focuses on traditional Korean art, starting from celadon ceramics and buncheong ware and moving through painting, calligraphy, and Buddhist art, while Museum 2 presents modern and contemporary works by Korean and international artists, including installations and media art. The site is relatively small and carefully designed, so most visitors can see the main galleries in about 60–90 minutes, though visits can run longer depending on special exhibitions and how much time you linger in each space.

   
   

3. Why it’s worth going
   Architecturally, Leeum is a destination in itself: Museum 1 is organized around a cylindrical volume and white spiral stair that visitors move through vertically, with a skylight and windows offering layered views of the galleries—a different, more intimate take on the spiral museum idea than the Guggenheim. The combination of bold architecture, concentrated but high-quality collections, and its location near Itaewon and Hannam makes Leeum an easy and satisfying stop even for visitors who are not deep art specialists but want a clear, memorable introduction to Korean and global art.