Seoul Children’s Museum (서울상상나라) is a children’s museum at 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. It sits just inside Neungdong Gate (능동문) at Seoul Children’s Grand Park (서울어린이대공원). After sunset, lights come on across the building’s exterior, and together with the circular plaza in front it becomes one of the park’s best night spots. The lights are planned to stay on from sunset until 22:00. Entry to the park is free, and indoor admission to the museum is 4,000 KRW (~$3 USD) per person.
What Is Seoul Children’s Museum?
Seoul Children’s Museum is a children’s museum inside Seoul Children’s Grand Park. During the day it’s an indoor space where kids play, try things out and learn as they go. Outside, round benches ring the circular plaza. Children run in and out of the benches while their parents sit down for a break.
At night the place feels different. As you walk in through Neungdong Gate, the first thing you see is a large illuminated mural with a constellation theme. Families with kids and couples on a date can both settle onto the round benches and take in the park after dark.
Seoul Children’s Museum at Night: Best Time and Viewing Spots
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Facade lighting | Sunset to 22:00 (planned) |
| Best spots | In front of the constellation light mural just inside Neungdong Gate; the round benches on the circular plaza |
| Park hours | 05:00–22:00 (open year-round) |
- The lights are planned to stay on only until 22:00, so go soon after sunset.
- The museum’s indoor exhibits close at 18:00. One easy plan is to visit the museum during the day, stay in the park until sunset, and then see the lights.
- The park’s autumn festival, Danpung Muldeun Keullaesik (단풍 물든 클래식), runs from Sept 19 to Nov 7, so an early-November visit lets you see both.
Seoul Children’s Museum Hours and Admission
The park and the circular plaza, where you’ll see the night lights, are free. The museum’s indoor exhibits have a separate admission fee.
| Area | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul Children’s Grand Park (incl. circular plaza) | 05:00–22:00 (open year-round) | Free |
| Seoul Children’s Museum indoor exhibits | Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) | Individuals 4,000 KRW (~$3 USD) / Groups 3,000 KRW (~$2 USD) / Free for children under 3 |
| Sangsangnara Theater (상상나라극장) | Tue–Fri 11:00 & 16:00; Sat 12:00, 14:00 & 16:00; Sun 14:00 & 16:00 | 12,000 KRW (~$9 USD); discounts for groups and Seoul Children’s Museum ticket holders |
- Closed days: The museum is closed every Monday, on January 1, during the Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean harvest festival) holidays, and during maintenance periods.
- Free admission: Single-parent families, people with disabilities, national merit recipients, bereaved families of people who died performing righteous deeds (의사자), spouses and children of people injured performing righteous deeds (의상자), and holders of the Dadungi Haengbok Card (다둥이행복카드, a multi-child family card) get in free. Bring the supporting documents with you.
- Reservations: The official website (www.seoulchildrensmuseum.org) takes individual, group and education bookings. On busy days you may wait a long time or not get in at all, so book ahead.
- Sangsangnara Theater: The theater has 220 regular seats and 4 wheelchair spaces. November shows are listed in the “Theater November Performance Guide” notice on the website.
How to Get to Seoul Children’s Museum
The closest way in is Exit 1 of Children’s Grand Park Station (어린이대공원역) on Subway Line 7.
| Transit | Get off at | To the museum |
|---|---|---|
| Subway Line 7 | Children’s Grand Park Station, Exit 1 | About 326 m, roughly a 5-minute walk |
| Subway Line 5 | Achasan Station (아차산역) | Walk into the park |
| Bus | Sejong University (세종대학교) stop | Walk into the park |
Parking at Seoul Children’s Grand Park
| Parking lot | Spaces |
|---|---|
| Seoul Children’s Museum (underground) | 305 |
| Main Gate (Neungdong Gate) | 89 |
| Back Gate | 250 |
| Guui Gate (구의문) | 335 |
| Total | 979 |
| Vehicle type | Rate (per 5 minutes) |
|---|---|
| Passenger car | 150 KRW (~$0.11 USD) |
| Mid-size vehicle | 300 KRW (~$0.22 USD) |
| Large vehicle | 450 KRW (~$0.34 USD) |
- The parking lots are open 09:00–22:00.
- Drivers with disabilities, injured national merit recipients and others in similar categories get 80% off. Compact cars, low-emission vehicles, Dadungi Haengbok Card holders (families with two or more children) and others in similar categories get 50% off. If you qualify for more than one discount, only the highest one applies.
- On weekends and public holidays, the Main Gate lot fills up first, so try the Back Gate or Guui Gate lots instead.
Seoul Children’s Museum: What to Know Before You Go
- 1st-floor permanent exhibit replacement: From Monday, September 28 to Friday, November 6, 2026 (planned), part of the 1st-floor permanent exhibition hall is closed. The art and spatial-play exhibit Isanghan Yesul Golmok (이상한 예술 골목) is being replaced by a new exhibit, Maeirui Dajeongham (매일의 다정함). The new exhibit is scheduled to open on Saturday, November 7. All other facilities are open as usual.
- JTBC Seoul Marathon road closures on Sunday, November 1: Roads in the Gwangjin-gu section of the course will be closed to traffic. If you visit that day, take Subway Line 7 to Exit 1 of Children’s Grand Park Station.
| Closed section | Closure time |
|---|---|
| Gunja Station Intersection – Konkuk University Station Intersection | 08:29–11:31 |
| Konkuk University Station Intersection – Jayang Intersection | 08:44–11:57 |
| Jayang Intersection – south end of Jamsil Bridge | 08:48–12:18 |
- Botanical garden closure: The botanical garden elsewhere in the park is closed for renovation from May 27, 2026 until the second half of 2027 (planned). It is a separate facility from Seoul Children’s Museum.
Seoul Children’s Museum Tips
- Museum by day, lights by night: Last entry for the indoor exhibits is 17:00, and the facade lights are planned to run from sunset to 22:00. That makes it easy to do both in one visit.
- Skip Mondays: The museum’s indoor exhibits are closed on Mondays. You can still walk around the park and the circular plaza for free.
- Book ahead: On busy days entry can be delayed or you may not get in, so reserve on the website first.
- Park at the Back Gate or Guui Gate on weekends: The Main Gate lot fills up first, so the Back Gate and Guui Gate lots are easier.
- English information: The museum has an official English website (https://www.seoulchildrensmuseum.org/eng/), so international visitors can check the details before they go.
| Contact | Phone |
|---|---|
| Seoul Children’s Grand Park | 02-450-9311 |
| Seoul Children’s Museum | 02-6450-9500 |
| Parking (Main Gate & museum lots) | 02-447-4711 |
- Seoul Children’s Grand Park website: https://www.sisul.or.kr/open_content/childrenpark/
- Seoul Children’s Museum website: https://www.seoulchildrensmuseum.org
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is admission to Seoul Children’s Museum?
Admission is 4,000 KRW (~$3 USD) for individuals and 3,000 KRW (~$2 USD) per person for groups, and children under 3 get in free. Single-parent families, people with disabilities, national merit recipients, bereaved families of people who died performing righteous deeds, spouses and children of people injured performing righteous deeds, and Dadungi Haengbok Card holders also get in free if they bring the supporting documents. Entry to Seoul Children’s Grand Park and viewing the night lights from the circular plaza are free.
Do I need a reservation for Seoul Children’s Museum?
Booking ahead is a good idea. The official website takes individual, group and education reservations. When it’s busy, you may wait a long time or not get in at all.
When is Seoul Children’s Museum closed?
It’s closed every Monday. It also closes on January 1, during the Seollal and Chuseok holidays, and during maintenance periods. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with last entry at 17:00.
When can I see the lights at Seoul Children’s Museum?
The lights are planned to run from sunset until 22:00. The best places to see them are the constellation light mural just inside Neungdong Gate and the round benches on the circular plaza.
Where can I park for Seoul Children’s Museum, and how much does it cost?
You can use the museum’s underground lot (305 spaces) or the Main Gate, Back Gate and Guui Gate lots. The lots are open 09:00–22:00, and a passenger car pays 150 KRW (~$0.11 USD) per 5 minutes. On weekends and public holidays, the Back Gate and Guui Gate lots are less crowded.
When will the 1st-floor exhibit replacement at Seoul Children’s Museum finish?
Work is scheduled to finish on Friday, November 6, 2026. Until then, part of the 1st-floor permanent exhibition hall is closed. The new exhibit, Maeirui Dajeongham, is scheduled to open on Saturday, November 7.
Which exit should I use at Children’s Grand Park Station?
Use Exit 1 of Children’s Grand Park Station on Subway Line 7. From there it’s about 326 m to the museum, roughly a 5-minute walk. You can also get there from Achasan Station on Line 5.
Is information available in English?
Yes, the museum has an official English website. Visit Seoul, the city’s tourism site, lists the museum website’s languages as Korean, English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.
