Songpa Book Museum is Korea’s first public museum about books. It sits at 77 Songpa-daero 37-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 송파구 송파대로37길 77). Admission is free, and the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed every Monday. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Songpa Station on Subway Line 8 or Seokchon Station on Line 9, and you can borrow an audio guide in Korean or English at no charge.
What Is Songpa Book Museum?
Songpa Book Museum is a public museum about books and reading culture. It aims to be a cultural space for all of Songpa-gu, a place where anyone can stop in, take a break and enjoy books with others. The architects wanted entering the building to feel like opening a bookcase and stepping into a book. The neat exterior is modeled on rows of stacked bookshelves.
Here’s what you’ll find on each floor:
| Floor | Main facilities |
|---|---|
| B1 | Collection storage, open studio, nursing room |
| 1F | Book Kium (북키움, children’s space), Eoullim Hall (어울림홀), information desk, café lounge, cloakroom |
| 2F | Permanent exhibition hall, special exhibition hall, media library, outdoor garden |
Can You Visit at Night? Opening Hours and Highlights
You can’t visit at night. The museum closes at 18:00, and the last entry is at 17:30. We also couldn’t find any official information about night lighting or night views. Plan this as a daytime stop for indoor exhibitions.
Highlights to look out for:
- Docent tours of the permanent exhibition: Tours run Tuesday through Sunday at 14:00. There’s an extra tour at 15:00 on Tuesdays and at 10:00 on Sundays. Tours start at the entrance to the permanent exhibition hall on the 2nd floor, and each group is about 20 people.
- 2nd-floor outdoor garden: It’s on the same floor as the permanent and special exhibition halls, so it’s a good place to rest after the exhibits.
- Special exhibitions: The 2026 special exhibition “동화의 시간, 이야기의 빛깔” (roughly “The Time of Fairy Tales, the Colors of Stories”) was first set to end on August 30. It was extended and closed on October 25, 2026. No next special exhibition has been announced yet, so check the official website before you go.
Songpa Book Museum Hours, Admission and Closing Days
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–18:00 |
| Last entry | 30 minutes before closing (17:30) |
| Closed | Every Monday, January 1, and the day of Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean harvest festival) |
| Admission | Free |
| Contact | 02-2147-2486 |
| Website | https://www.bookmuseum.go.kr/ |
The museum will be closed on January 1, 2027.
School and organization groups (15–20 people) must book ahead and can visit only on weekdays (Tuesday–Friday). Book on the website by the day before your visit. Same-day bookings and bookings for public holidays aren’t accepted. Call 02-2147-2486 with group visit questions. Nobody answers the phone on closing days.
Does Songpa Book Museum Offer English Guides?
Yes. If you don’t speak Korean, you can still follow the exhibition explanations in two ways:
| Service | Languages | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Handheld audio guide | Korean, English | Borrow one for free at the 1st-floor information desk by leaving an ID |
| Mobile audio guide | Korean, English | Scan the QR codes in the 2nd-floor permanent exhibition hall with your phone |
You have to leave an ID to borrow an audio guide, so bring your passport or another form of ID.
How to Get to Songpa Book Museum
| Transport | Get off at | Time to the museum |
|---|---|---|
| Subway Line 8 | Songpa Station, Exit 4 | 15-minute walk |
| Subway Line 9 | Seokchon Station, Exit 6 | 15-minute walk |
| Branch buses 3322, 3417, 3422 | Songpa Book Museum·Helio City stop | 1-minute walk |
Songpa-gu’s English guide lists the bus stop as “Songpa Book Museum·Helio City.”
If you’re driving, there are two routes:
- Songpa-daero → Jamsil Hosu Bridge (잠실호수교) → Songpa Intersection (송파사거리) → Garak-ro
- Songpa-daero → Garak Market Intersection (가락시장사거리) → Songpa Intersection (송파사거리) → Garak-ro
Songpa Book Museum Parking
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Spaces | 95 |
| Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Fee | First 30 minutes free, then 150 KRW (~$0.11 USD) per 5 minutes |
| Payment | Card only (no cash) |
Some visitors get a parking discount: people with disabilities, national merit recipients, compact cars, low-emission vehicles, electric vehicles that are charging, and others. To get it, bring proof to the 1st-floor information desk before you drive out.
Storage and Facilities
| Facility | Location |
|---|---|
| Café lounge | 1st floor, to the right of the main entrance |
| Cloakroom | 1st floor, in the corner to the left of the information desk |
| Stroller rental | 1st floor, in the corner to the left of the information desk |
| Nursing room (feeding and diaper changing) | B1 |
Leave bags and other belongings in your car or the cloakroom while you look around. Pets aren’t allowed, except guide dogs. You also can’t bring in anything with wheels, such as bicycles or kick scooters.
Songpa Book Museum Tips
- Time your visit for a docent tour. The regular tour is at 14:00 Tuesday through Sunday. There’s an extra tour at 15:00 on Tuesdays and at 10:00 on Sundays.
- Pay for parking by card. Cash isn’t accepted.
- Don’t go on Mondays or holidays. The museum is closed every Monday, on January 1, and on the day of Seollal and Chuseok.
- Arrive before 17:30. Entry stops 30 minutes before closing.
- Check the special exhibition schedule first. The 2026 special exhibition ended on October 25, and the next one hasn’t been announced yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an admission fee for Songpa Book Museum?
No, it’s free. Anyone can visit Songpa Book Museum without paying.
When is Songpa Book Museum closed?
It’s closed every Monday. It also closes on January 1 and on the day of Seollal and Chuseok, and it will be closed on January 1, 2027.
How much does parking cost at Songpa Book Museum?
The first 30 minutes are free, then it costs 150 KRW (~$0.11 USD) for every 5 minutes. The lot has 95 spaces and is open 24 hours. You can only pay by card.
Which subway station is closest to Songpa Book Museum?
Songpa Station (Line 8, Exit 4) and Seokchon Station (Line 9, Exit 6) are both about a 15-minute walk away. By bus, get off at the Songpa Book Museum·Helio City stop, which is a 1-minute walk from the museum.
When are the docent tours at Songpa Book Museum?
Docent tours of the permanent exhibition run Tuesday through Sunday at 14:00. There’s an extra tour at 15:00 on Tuesdays and at 10:00 on Sundays. Tours start at the entrance to the permanent exhibition hall on the 2nd floor.
Does Songpa Book Museum have English guides?
Yes. Leave an ID at the 1st-floor information desk to borrow a Korean or English audio guide for free. You can also scan the QR codes in the 2nd-floor permanent exhibition hall to hear the English audio guide on your phone.
Can you see Songpa Book Museum lit up at night?
No, you can’t visit at night. The museum closes at 18:00 with last entry at 17:30. We also found no official information about night lighting or night views.
Can I leave my bags at Songpa Book Museum?
Yes. There’s a cloakroom in the corner to the left of the 1st-floor information desk, and you can borrow a stroller there too.
