The Seoul Museum of History was founded by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to present the city's history and culture from the Joseon Dynasty to the present day. It opened its doors on 21 May, 2002. The Museum's aims include to preserve the city's traditional culture and history so as to enforce cultural identity, to preserve cultural heritage, to provide citizens with an opportunity to deepen their understanding and awareness of the city's culture and history and to enhance the image of Seoul as a leading cultural centre. Further to presenting historical collections, the Museum manages a number of educational programmes and traditional art workshops. It also offers a range of cultural programmes, such as concerts. The centre comprises the following facilities: Permanent Exhibition Hall, Special Exhibition Hall, Exhibition Hall of Donated Collections, Education Rooms, Auditorium, Museum Shop, Museum Cafe and Information Centre. The Museum's permanent collections are distributed in several zones, each representing a different period in Seoul's history, as follows:

• Zone 1 - Seoul of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392~1863
• Zone 2 - The Capital of the Daehan Empire, 1863~1910
• Zone 3 - Seoul under Japanese Control, 1910-1945
• Zone 4 - Development of Seoul, 1945~2002
• Zone 5 - Seoul, Now and in the Making

View all Asia-Europe Museum Network (ASEMUS) members in Korea