Seoul Archdiocesan Catholic History Museum — Attraction in Seoul

Half the space in the museum documents how the land upon which the Cathedral now sits came to be acquired and the various clergymen who occupied the premises. Not particularly invigorating material – except for the niche audience interested in such information.

The other half of museum contains some artwork and objects associated with Christianity in Korea. Good modern curatorship would seek to locate the objects within the historical context. Alas, the visitor is pretty much left to figure out the historical episodes of religious persecution, the relations with the Beijing church, and the tensions with neo-Confucianism. Not that the artworks or objects are particularly stunning. The visitor seeking an understanding of Christianity in Korea will do better by searching the internet.

The museum would benefit from better curatorship.  What will be on the mind on the visitor? What would you like the visitor to take away after visiting the museum? The absence of beautiful objects can be compensated by good curatorship, which explains the significance of what are at-first-sight unremarkable objects.

The best thing about the museum is the architecture. The building in which it is located is beautiful and well maintained. Pity about how the space is used.

Perhaps that is why I was the only...

우리나라 가톨릭 역사와 서울대교구의 역사를 정리해 볼 수 있는 역사관입니다. 1891년에 준공된 르네상스식 건축물로서 건축학적 가치도 뛰어난 건축물입니다. 명동대성당이 1898년에 축성되었는데 이 건물은 성당을 지으면서 주교관으로 설계되었습니다. 건물이 준공된 후 교구장이던 뮈텔 대주교가 주교관으로 사용하였고, 이후 새로운 주교관을 건립하여 옮긴 후에는 성신대학 의학부, 가톨릭출판사, 교구 사무처 및 관리국으로 사용하면서 사도회관으로 불리웠습니다. 2017년 주교평의회에서 이 건물을 서울대교구 역사관으로 사용하기로 결정하였고, 현재 가톨릭순교자박물관과 순교자헌양위원회에서...

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