SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - The National Museum of Korea drew more than 5.25 million visitors in the first eight months of 2026, crossing the 5-million mark about six weeks earlier than last year, when it set an annual attendance record.
Attendance totaled 5,254,884 from January through August, up 21.4 percent from 4,328,979 in the same period a year earlier.
Visitor traffic remained heavy through the summer. The museum surpassed 3 million visitors in May and 4 million in July, drawing 688,443 people in July and 771,045 in August.
The surge prompted the museum to extend opening hours by one hour from July 27 to Aug. 17 during the peak summer vacation period.
Foreign attendance rose even faster, nearly doubling to 291,460 from 147,643 a year earlier.
That has already surpassed the 231,192 foreign visitors recorded for all of 2025.
The museum drew more than 6.5 million visitors last year, placing third worldwide in an annual ranking by The Art Newspaper behind the Louvre and the Vatican Museums.
If the current pace continues, the museum could surpass last year's attendance record.
Upcoming exhibitions include a special display of Dunhuang Buddhist manuscripts in October, works from Kunsthaus Zurich in November and an exhibition on Marie Antoinette's style in December.
AJP Takeaways
- The National Museum of Korea drew 5.25 million visitors through August, up 21.4 percent from a year earlier.
- It crossed the 5-million mark about six weeks earlier than in 2025.
- Foreign attendance nearly doubled to 291,460 and has already surpassed last year's full-year total.
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