National Maritime Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

This research institution in Mokpo holds collections of naval artifacts and underwater discoveries displayed across multiple exhibition halls with attached research facilities. Objects range from historical ship parts to everyday items recovered from the sea.

The institute was founded to document Korea's maritime history and ancient trade routes that connected Korean kingdoms with neighboring regions. Research focuses on archaeological findings that show how these early connections operated.

The exhibition halls show how Korean shipbuilders and merchants once worked, displaying the methods and tools they used for their journeys across the water.

The institute is open daily, and you should allow time to move through the different exhibition areas since there is much to see. Specialized conservation laboratories can sometimes be visited to watch restoration work on artifacts.

The institute operates two specially equipped vessels outfitted with modern sonar technology to discover submerged cultural sites on the seafloor. These research ships allow the team to make new discoveries that are later displayed in exhibitions.