On 15 October, the National Sports Museum (국립스포츠박물관) officially opened in Olympic Park in Songpa District, Seoul. It is the first national museum in Korea dedicated to sports. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism built it together with the Seoul Olympic Memorial National Sports Promotion Foundation.
What is it for?
The museum aims to record the history of Korean sports, collect and preserve sports heritage scattered at home and abroad, and use it for exhibitions, education and research. It currently holds about 70,000 items and documents.
What is inside?
The building has 2 basement floors and 4 floors above ground:
- Floor 1: a special exhibition hall, a café and the lobby.
- Floors 2-3: the permanent exhibition.
- Floor 4: a rooftop garden.
- Basement 1-2: storage where the heritage items are preserved and managed.
The former Seoul Olympic Memorial Hall has also been renovated, with a children's museum, a sports library and spaces for education and hands-on activities, so visitors can explore sports history in several ways.
Highlights
- The 1947 Boston Marathon winner's medal of Seo Yun-bok.
- The football boots of Kim Yong-sik, a pioneer of Korean football.
- The competition outfit of Yang Jeong-mo, Korea's first Olympic gold medallist.
- The 1988 Seoul Olympic torch and the hoop rolled across the field at the opening ceremony.
Coming up
On 17 October the museum holds a "Stamp Tour" for about 200 people, who search for key exhibits and complete missions to collect stamps. There are also hands-on activities for visitors, such as "My Record Card" and "Great Moments Studio".
At the opening, Minister Choi Hwi-young said that the history of Korean sports is not only the records set by athletes but also the shared memory of everyone who cheered for them. He hoped the museum would become a place that preserves this heritage and where citizens and future generations can share its values.
Contact (in Korean): Sports Heritage Team, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (+82-44-203-3147); Museum Team, National Sports Promotion Foundation (+82-2-410-1902).
Source: 대한민국 정책브리핑 (korea.kr), "대한민국 스포츠유산 거점 '국립스포츠박물관' 개관", published 15 October 2026. The text is used under KOGL (Korea Open Government License) Type 1 (attribution). The photo is copyrighted by Yonhap. This English version was compiled by Cẩm Nang Hàn Quốc.
