1. Jongmyo Hyangdaecheong exhibition

  ○ Jongmyo Hyangdaecheong is where the incense, written invocations, and ritual cloth of silk used during Jongmyo royal ancestral ritual are stored and also where officiants would be on stand-by during the royal ancestral ritual.

  ○ Date : 2024. 5. 17. ~ 12. 31. (except for Tuesdays)

  ○ Time : 9:00 ~ 30 minutes before Jongmyo closes

    - February to May, September, October : Closes at 18:00

    - June to August : Closes at 18:30

    - November to January : Closes at 17:30

  ○ Venue : Jongmyo Hyangdaecheong(exhibition hall has two chambers ‘Deu-o’ and ‘Ji-o’)

    - ‘Deu-o’ chamber recreatesthe spirit chamber of King Taejoandintroduces the Jongmyo Shrine, UNESCO World Heritage. A storybook show how the spirit tablets, the masters of Jongmyo, are made. Different spirit tablets are also on display including that of the King enshrined at Jongmyo, venerated officials enshrined in Gongsindang, and of noblemen, as well as modern day spirit tables made with paper used in Korean families, to shed light on the meaning of the spirit tables as a channel to bring the ancestors closer to us. You can also see how Jeongjeon and Yeongnyeongjeon have changed from 1395 to 1991 using the touch screen kiosk, along with a video on Jeongjeon architecture in numbers.

    - ‘Ji-o’ chamber focuses on Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine and its Music, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Jongmyo Royal Ancestral Ritual Layout, When Presided by the King, made with Lego created by Lego maker Colin Jin is on display. A colorful and vivid interpretation of the king, crown prince, officiants, musicians and dancers performing Jongmyo royal ancestral ritual and its music, as well as the royal officials participating in the state ceremony is presented in 209 figurines and 26 different types of musical instruments, using more than 20,000 Lego blocks. You can also enjoy the entire collection of the music and songs played during the ritual and hear the words of successors of Jongmyo royal ancestral ritual and its music, which continues to be celebrated as a living tradition.

2. Special Opening of Mangmyoru

  ○ Mangmyoru is the office space of Jongmyoseo, the official agency in charge of overall management of Jongmyo during Joseon Dynasty. On the day of the ancestral ritual, the king would wait here until the ritual begins and leave writings in memory of the ancestors, which later would be made into a plaque.

  ○ Date : 2024. 5. 17. ~ 8. 31.

  ○ Time : 10:00 ~ 16:00

  ○ Venue : Jongmyo

  ○ Program

    - At the piloti-like structure on one end of Mangmyoru, facing the pond, visitors can take pictures with Jongmyo and the pond in the background decorated with the lush green of the season. Visitors can also experience building Jeongjeon with a miniature model.