MUSEUMSAN, Art museum in Wonju-si, South Korea
Museum SAN is an art museum in Wonju-si, South Korea, made up of four interconnected buildings with geometric shapes set into a forested hillside. The buildings alternate with themed gardens, so the route through the grounds moves between indoor galleries and open-air spaces.
The museum was founded in the early 2000s as interest in art venues outside Seoul was growing. It went on to become one of the most visited cultural sites in the Gangwon region.
Museum SAN is known for its connection to Hanji, the traditional Korean art of handmaking paper. Visitors can see works throughout the galleries that use this material in contemporary ways.
The grounds cover a large area and the path between buildings goes up and down hills, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. There are covered rest areas along the route, which helps on hot days or if the weather turns.
One of the buildings was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who is known for using bare concrete and natural light to shape space. The Meditation Hall he created inside the complex is one of the few spaces in the museum where no art is displayed, just the room itself.
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