News
The BMCHM is open for business
The Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum will open on Jan. 5. Located in the former Busan head office of the Bank of Korea, the four-story building has transformed into an iconic cultural space featuring exhibition halls, a children's library and a cafe.
Traces of the building's banking history are present throughout. The basement level houses The Vault Art Museum, which preserves the original structure and features of the bank's vault, including four chambers, a surveillance corridor and iron bars. Until Feb. 26, the space hosts an exhibition titled "The Closest, Most Secret History" showcasing 51 works created by 14 artists.
The bank's original lobby on the first floor is now home to Casa Busano, a local espresso bar and tea franchise. Visitors can enjoy a variety of beverages and snacks. Don't miss the "ssiat hotteok," deep-fried dough stuffed generously with nuts, seeds and sugar, or the "gold bar" cookies.
On the second floor, the exhibition "Baseball City, Shout of Busan" (마! 쌔리라! 야구도시 부산의 함성) presents an exploration of baseball in the city with the most avid fans on the peninsula. Baseball fans can see the exhibition until March 17.
The Deullak Nallak Children's Library is located on the mezzanine between floors 1 and 2. Here, little ones can play and learn about Busan's modern and contemporary history.
The permanent exhibition halls upstairs cover Busan history under different themes. The third floor highlights Busan's identity as the first port city in Korea, covering themes such as trade, reclamation, exploitation and resistance.
On the fourth floor, visitors can learn about Busan's role in shaping Korea's modern history. The exhibition dives deep into the independence movement, the Korean War, industrialization, and the fight for democracy.
◎Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum
-Address: 104 Daecheong-ro, Jung-gu
-Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last admission at 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays and New Year's Day
-Website: busan.go.kr/mmch/index
-Instagram: @bmch＿museum
<Voca Spotlight - 어휘 돋보기>
Contemporary: 현대의
four-story: 4층 (＊story: 층)
Vault: 금고
beverage: 음료
avid: 열렬한
mezzanine: 중2층
reclamation: 재생, 매립, 개간, 간척
exploitation: 착취