The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) will open the Photography Seoul Museum of Art (Photo SeMA) on May 29, marking the launch of Korea’s only public art museum dedicated to photographic media. Located in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, the newly built museum will serve as a branch of SeMA and has been in development for over a decade in preparation for its opening.
 
With a total floor area of 7,048㎡, the museum consists of two basement levels and four above-ground floors. In addition to its 1,800㎡ exhibition halls, the museum features education rooms, a darkroom, a photo library, and a photobook café, offering visitors of all ages opportunities to experience the impact and artistic value of photography. 

The architecture was designed by Austrian architect Mladen Jadric (Principal of Jadric Architektur ZT GmbH) in collaboration with 1990 Architects (Principal: Yoon Geun-joo). The design reflects the pixelated structure of photographs, capturing the essence of photography as images drawn with light.

To mark the opening of the Photography Seoul Museum of Art, two inaugural exhibitions—《The Radiance: Beginnings of Korean Art Photography》 and 《Storage Story》—will open simultaneously on the museum’s launch date. Under the theme of a “Radiant Gaze,” The Radiance showcases a multifaceted exploration of photography—images drawn with light—based on the persistent and dedicated work that has gone into the museum’s establishment since 2015.
 
The Photography Seoul Museum of Art plans to actively engage not only in exhibitions and educational programs, but also in the research, collection, and preservation of significant works and materials in the history of Korean photography, fostering a wide range of photography-centered activities. 

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am. to 8 pm. (hours may vary on weekends and holidays depending on the season), and is closed on Mondays. All exhibitions are free of charge.

References

• 서울시립미술관 보도자료 (Seoul Museum of Art Press Release)