If you walk into the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) without a plan, you’ll waste time moving between buildings instead of seeing exhibits. This place is free, but the site is spread out, so the order matters.
Below is a straight, practical post: hours, last entry, docent times, kids’ sessions, and 60/90-minute routes. Read once, then go in with your route already decided.
Table of Contents
1. Free admission basics
Seoul Museum of Craft Art is free for the permanent galleries, so you can enter without buying tickets. What you should fix first is “where to check in” and the last entry time. If you arrive late, the last entry cut-off matters more than the closing time.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Admission | Free (permanent exhibitions) |
| Last admission | 17:30 |
| Friday hours | Open late until 21:00 |
If you want a quick visit after lunch, aim to enter before 16:30 so you’re not rushing near last admission.
2. Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) Hours
Regular hours are 10:00–18:00, and Friday runs later. The museum is closed on Mondays (and January 1). If you only remember one thing, remember Monday closure and 17:30 last admission.
| Day | Open hours |
|---|---|
| Tue–Sun | 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:30) |
| Friday | 10:00–21:00 |
| Closed | Mondays, Jan 1 |
If your Seoul trip has a “Monday gap,” don’t schedule this museum that day—swap it to Friday evening instead.
3. Location and fastest way in
Seoul Museum of Craft Art is in Jongno, right by Anguk Station, so the subway is the simplest plan. For first-time visitors, set your arrival around Anguk Station and walk in. This keeps your timing stable, especially on weekends.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 4 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul |
| Nearest station | Anguk Station |
| Phone | +82-2-6450-7000 |
If you’re timing a docent tour, subway arrival is more reliable than driving because it removes parking delays.
4. Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) Parking
There is no on-site parking lot for general visitors, so you should assume nearby paid parking or come by subway. This is the main reason people arrive late and miss the docent registration window. If you’re bringing family, decide “car vs subway” first—then plan the rest.
| What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|
| No general visitor parking | Use nearby paid lots or public transit |
| Weekend traffic in Jongno | Add extra buffer time |
| Docent tours require timing | Arrive early for on-site registration |
If you must drive, set your “parking completed” time at least 30–40 minutes before the docent start.
5. Buildings in one glance
Seoul Museum of Craft Art is not a single building. It’s a campus-style site with multiple buildings. That’s why choosing your starting building saves the most time. For most first visits, picking just two buildings is enough.
| Building | Best for |
|---|---|
| Exhibition buildings | Permanent + special exhibitions |
| Textile-focused area | Embroidery / bojagi-style textile themes |
| Education building | Children’s museum (2F–3F) |
If your goal is “clear, memorable exhibits in a short time,” start with textiles and add one history building only if you have time.
6. How to choose permanent exhibitions
Permanent exhibitions are the safest choice for a first visit because they don’t require following an event calendar. The easiest approach is to choose by your goal: “timeline/history” or “visual textile focus.” This keeps your route clean and prevents backtracking.
| Your goal | Choose this |
|---|---|
| Understand Korean craft through time | History-focused permanent galleries |
| See strong visuals fast | Textile-focused areas |
| 60-minute visit | Textile-first route |
If you only have 60 minutes, don’t split across three buildings—stay in one theme and finish it.
7. Docent (guided talk) times
Seoul Museum of Craft Art runs regular docent programs for textiles and craft history.
Registration is on-site, so you must arrive before the registration time—not just the talk time. Friday includes a 18:30 craft-history session, which fits evening visits.
| Program | Days | Time (50 min) | Registration starts | Meeting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Textile exhibition | Tue–Sat | 11:00 / 14:00 | 10:50 / 13:50 | Exhibition Building 3, 1F lobby |
| Craft history exhibition | Tue–Sat | 12:00 / 15:00 + Fri 18:30 | 11:50 / 14:50 | Exhibition Building 1, 1F lobby |
For the 14:00 textile docent, arrive at the lobby by 13:45 so you can register calmly and start on time.
8. Children’s museum sessions
Seoul Museum of Craft Art has a children’s museum in the Education Building (2F–3F). Entry is typically run by timed sessions, so you should plan the adult galleries around your session time. The most common structure is four sessions per day.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Education Building 2F–3F |
| Daily sessions | 4 sessions |
| Session times | 10:00–11:20 / 13:10–14:30 / 14:50–16:10 / 16:30–17:50 |
If you book the 10:00 session, do textiles for 40–50 minutes after lunch instead of trying to squeeze in everything before noon.
9. 60-minute and 90-minute routes
Seoul Museum of Craft Art is easiest when you plan by minutes, not by “how many exhibits.” For 60 minutes, stay in one area. For 90 minutes, add one more building only. If you’re doing a docent tour, build your route around the docent time.
| Time you have | Route | What it’s good for |
|---|---|---|
| 60 minutes | Textiles only | Fast, clear, low walking |
| 90 minutes | 1 history building + textiles | Balanced first visit |
| 120 minutes | 1 docent + 2 areas | Best “rememberable” visit |
On Friday, the 18:30 craft-history docent + a short textile loop is a clean evening plan.
10. Nearby places to pair
Seoul Museum of Craft Art sits in a walkable area, so you can add one nearby stop without stretching the day. Keep it simple: add only one neighborhood walk, or one palace. That’s enough to make the day feel full without turning into a long march.
| Add-on | Best for |
|---|---|
| Insadong | Short stroll + shops |
| Bukchon | Alley walk + photos |
| Changdeokgung | One solid “palace + museum” half-day |
| Gyeongbokgung | Bigger palace visit when you have extra time |
After a 90-minute museum visit, Insadong is the easiest add-on because it doesn’t require extra transit.
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