Ewha Womans University Museum

Ewha Womans University Museum opened on April 6, 1935, as part of the effort to preserve the Korean cultural heritage. In the 1950s, the museum received a donation of several hundred items from the personal collection of Dr. Helen Kim, and continued to conduct excavation and research projects. In the 1960s the museum developed into a full-fledged cultural institution by opening a new museum building with permanent exhibition halls. In 1990, the museum acquired another museum building (4,400㎡), opened as part of the centenary celebrations of the university, and strengthened its management system for the collections and the exhibitions as well as its educational function. The museum's work in the 1990s was characterized by a series of creative special exhibitions, systematic classification of the relics, computerized management of the collections, and the opening of its own website. In 1999, the Chang Budeok Memorial Gallery became part of the museum, helping to expand its function and capacity as a cultural institution. The museum building was further extended to 5,700㎡ in 2005, and the Modern Art Gallery was opened in 2006, enabling the museum to exhibit relics from all periods of human culture, from prehistoric to modern times.

The museum holds an extensive collection of Korean cultural heritage items dating from prehistoric times from diverse fields including archaeology, history, folk art, and modern and contemporary art. The collection encompasses all time periods including prehistoric bronze ware, iron ware, and earthenware; artifacts from ancient tomb excavations, roof tiles, bricks, and earthenware from the Three Kingdoms period; “Inscription on the Wall of Pyeongyang Fortress” (Treasure No. 642), the only Goguryeo artifact remaining in South Korea; Buddhist art pieces and earthenware from the Unified Silla period such as statues of Buddha and stone lantern pedestals; metalwork and ceramics from the Goryeo period such as celadon, white porcelain, and green-brown glazed stoneware; grayish-blue powdered celadon, white porcelain, woodwork, paintings and calligraphic works, and folklore material from the Joseon period; and numerous modern and contemporary artworks. In particular, the museum houses one National Treasure, “White Porcelain Jar with Grapevine Design in Underglaze Iron” (National Treasure No. 107), eleven Treasures including the “Celadon Jar with the Inscription of the 4th Year of Sunwha” (Treasure No. 237) and “Album Commemorating the Gathering of the Members of the Hall of Elder Statesmen” (Treasure No. 638), and three Important Folk Materials. These academically and artistically invaluable works are all a part of the 250,000 artifacts, artworks, and materials housed in the museum.