Kim Suyoung Literary Museum

A space of freedom and poetry to discover with your kids, Kim Suyoung Literature Museum

Kim Suyoung Literature Museum is located at 80, Haedeung-ro 32-gil, Dobong-gu, Seoul, and is a special literary and cultural space where you can experience the life, works, and spirit of Kim Suyoung (1921-1968), one of the leading free-verse poets of modern Korean poetry. When you visit with your kids, you can naturally explore poetry, art, and the meaning of Korea's modern and contemporary history, making it a memorable outing for the whole family.

Highlights of Kim Suyoung Literature Museum

• It opened in 2013 to honor the life, works, and ideas of poet Kim Suyoung, and is directly operated by the Dobong-gu Office.
• In Dobong-gu, you can also find Kim Suyoung's birthplace and the poet's grave.
• The building has 5 floors, with various cultural experience spaces including exhibition halls, a library, and an auditorium.
• A wide range of materials is on display, including handwritten manuscripts left by the poet, personal belongings, poetry collections, and translated books.
• You can view original materials related to his life as well as his representative poem "Grass," which carries messages of freedom, love, and resistance, and the original prose work "Poetry, Spit It Out."
• On the 3rd floor, there is the Kim Suyoung Literature Library for children, and the Reading Tree Program is also available, making it a great place to join with your kids.
• Various cultural lectures and events are held in the 4th floor auditorium.

Visitor information and facilities

• Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-18:00
• Closed: Every Monday, January 1, Lunar New Year day, and Chuseok day
• Admission: Free
• Parking: Available for 7 vehicles
  (High chairs, a nursing room, a diaper changing station, stroller rental, and reservation service are not available.)

Helpful tips for your visit

• You can see Kim Suyoung's original manuscripts, poetry collections, and translations of foreign literature.
• After touring the museum, be sure to also visit the Kim Suyoung Literature Library on the 3rd floor for children.
• A stamp tour is available, and for the Kkukkkugi stamp, please knock on the office door.
• Elementary school students must enter with a guardian.
• If you continue farther inside after your visit, you will find Wondang Hanok Village Library, Wondangsaem Library, and the Tomb of Yeonsangun, which makes for a nice course to explore together.

Nearby sights and suggested route

• Near the museum, several historical and cultural sites are close by, including Kim Suyoung's family home, grave, a commemorative poem stone, and the Tomb of Yeonsangun, so you can enjoy a cultural outing along with a walk.
• It is also connected to various walking routes such as the Dobong History and Culture Trail and the Dobong Modern History Great Figures Trail, making it a recommended half-day course.

Recommended points for visiting with your kids

• Your kids can try creating their own poems using the poet's words and imagine how poets of the past lived through the handwritten manuscripts and personal items on display.
• In the small library, you can freely read a variety of books and spend time helping your kids feel closer to books.
• You can enjoy special programs such as cultural lectures and poetry reading events.

"Kim Suyoung Literature Museum is a special place that shares the value of poetry, freedom, and reflection with children while offering an unforgettable cultural experience for the whole family. Take a gentle walk into the soft and welcoming world of poetry with your kids."