Bank of Korea Money Museum

A bank whose interior did not survive the war

The Bank of Korea began using this granite building on 12 June 1950. Thirteen days later, war began and gutted its interior. The restored headquarters now houses a money museum and a recreation of the central bank's first policy meeting

Its construction began in 1907 for Japan's Dai-Ichi Bank, but the plan changed when the Korean Empire established its own central bank in 1909. The building was completed in 1912 under colonial rule and served as the headquarters of the Bank of Joseon. The political identity of the institution changed before the stonework was even finished

After liberation, the modern Bank of Korea was founded on 12 June 1950. The historic office became its central headquarters only days before the war erupted, and its inside was extensively destroyed. Repairs were completed in 1958. A new head office rose behind the old building in 1987, after which the original façade was restored and the interior refitted with marble, finishing in 1989. It became a money museum in June 2001

The building itself is a national historic site, designated in 1981. From above, the plan resembles the character 井—a square well—with a symmetrical entrance at its centre. The structure combines reinforced concrete and heavy granite walls. Originally it contained a large basement vault, wood floors, plaster ceilings and an early elevator, described by the bank as Korea's first. Some of those original interiors were lost; the restored building is not an untouched period bank

What the first policy meeting looked like

A room recreates the Monetary Policy Board's first meeting, held on 5 June 1950, a week before the central bank formally opened. The board's original agenda involved approving the bank's articles of association, deciding when business would begin and determining its branch structure. Economic sovereignty had to be organised through actual administrative decisions

In the same gallery, visitors can explore archival meeting minutes and a virtual reconstruction relating to the first issue of monetary stabilization bonds in 1961. It helps explain the central bank's role beyond printing paper: monetary policy tries to shape liquidity, credit and inflation. Another reconstructed room represents the former governor's office, with official seals, records and gifts. Its significance is institutional rather than decorative, showing where responsibilities for the currency were concentrated

A room on the building's own history compares Namdaemun-ro just after 1945 with the modern streets through a model and interactive display. The stone bank was therefore a landmark embedded in the changing commercial geography of Myeongdong and Namdaemun, not an isolated monument

A pyramid of coins and the life of money

The museum's thirteen permanent display areas cover two floors and a mezzanine. In the Currency Plaza, the six Korean coin denominations are stacked into a central pyramid, with Korean currency arranged chronologically to its right and money from other countries to its left. The physical pile of familiar coins contrasts with the smaller historic pieces in nearby cases. The Sangpyeong Tongbo gallery covers the square-holed copper coin issued in 1678 under King Sukjong. Its four Chinese characters surround the hole; the reverse often names the mint, with later letters and numbers used to distinguish production. It became legal tender across Joseon and circulated for roughly two centuries

Elsewhere, the collections bring together coins from China and Japan, Western historical money and distinctive issues from other regions. Displays on the life cycle of banknotes address how currency is made, used and withdrawn. The economic gallery introduces prices, interest, exchange rates and GDP through audiovisual explanations, then shifts to hands-on stations for colouring currency and stacking blocks to explore the movement of money. Six additional content games let visitors test basic economic concepts

The basement vault and mock vault displays help connect the abstract idea of monetary credibility with the physical security demanded by the old bank

Before you go

Admission is free. Standard hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:40; Mondays and major annual holidays are closed. Individual booking instructions differ between the bank's English and Korean websites: the English guide requests weekend and holiday reservations, while the Korean guide describes individual free admission without advance booking. Reserving ahead for weekends, or confirming the policy before travel, avoids uncertainty. Organised groups must book ahead; the two language guides also differ on group size thresholds

The museum is at 39 Namdaemun-ro in Jung-gu. City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2), Euljiro 1-ga (Line 2) and Hoehyeon (Line 4) each give Exit 7 as an approach. Parking is unavailable for ordinary visitors, though accessible parking may be arranged in advance. Free Korean- and English-language audio guides are available through the museum's app, and scheduled docent tours require a booking or spare capacity