Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan

Original uploader was Ta183ta at ko.wikipedia · CC BY 2.0

Korea's largest museum of the colonial period, built with public donations after a textbook dispute.

In 1982 Japan's revision of how the colonial period was described in its textbooks caused outrage in Korea, and people began donating money to build a museum that would tell the story their own way. The sum raised was enough for a complex of seven buildings on a large site below Heukseongsan. The main hall has an enormous curved tiled roof with a fifteen-metre monument beneath it; the galleries run from prehistory to the independence movement, and the sections on prisons and torture are told very plainly. It is a place many Korean schools require pupils to visit at least once.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan?

Year-round

How much does it cost to visit Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan?

Free since 2008

How long do you need at Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan?

3 hours

What are the opening hours of Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan?

09:30–18:00 (March–October), 09:30–17:00 (November–February, last entry 16:00), closed Mondays

Did you know

Opened in 1987, built largely with public donations.
Korea's largest history museum of the colonial period and independence movement.
The complex holds seven exhibition buildings across about 400 hectares.
Entry is free.

Travel tips

The site is large — a shuttle runs between the buildings.
15 August (Liberation Day) brings a major ceremony and heavy crowds.
About 30 minutes by bus from Cheonan-Asan station.

Source: https://i815.or.kr/2018/tour/info.do

Updated: 2026-08-04