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When looking around Busan, it's impossible to miss the Busan International Finance Center (BIFC). Towering at 280 meters and 63 stories, it is perhaps the city's easiest landmark to spot. It is far from the only financial institute in Busan, however. Many banks harbor their Busan headquarters around the skyscraper, and they hold regular exhibitions and educational museums that detail the nation's financial history.

△ Securities, which are tradeable financial assets, line the walls of the Busan Securities Museum in the BIFC mall.

Busan Securities Museum 

Securities, or tradeable financial assets such as stock, are featured largely at the Busan Securities Museum, which opened at the BIFC mall in Munhyeon-dong (neighborhood) in December last year. It is the country's largest securities museum, with an exclusive space of 4,952 square meters on the second floor of the mall. It houses about 9,000 items in its collection. Along with the Swiss Securities Museum and the Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corporation, it is one of the world's three largest securities museums.

△ Then entrance of the Busan Securities Museum

The Busan Securities Museum displays exhibitions related the history of the global economy and the history, culture and future of Korea's securities. The museum displays historical financial items, including a certificate of stock trading in the Dutch East India Company and land price securities issued during the land reform process after the restoration of Korean independence. The museum has recreated the Korean War-era stock market in Gwangbok-dong and showcases securities issued by old companies from Busan that led to the country's shoe industry, which prospered until the 1980s. There is also a chance for visitors to learn about crowdfunding. 

△ Explore Korea's financial history through interactive exhibits.

The museum consists of three permanent exhibitions, a video theater, a financial library and a lecture hall. The library offers a cafe and approximately 6,000 books on finance and the economy for readers of all ages. The museum runs between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Satur-day. Admission is free of charge. 

As a reminder, the museum is located on the second floor of the BIFC mall, not at the BIFC itself. The mall is a space with cafes and restaurants, an indoor zoo and the Dream Theater. There are additional finance-related exhibitions around the BIFC that are useful for those interested in the economy. 

Phone: 051-519-0600 

Address: Second floor, 133, Jeon-po-daero, Nam-gu

How to get there: Busan International Finance Center and Busan Bank Station (metro line 2), exit 3. 

Korea Capital Market Museum of Korea Exchange (KRX) 

The Korea Capital Market Museum, which opened in 2019, is located on the BIFC's 51st floor. This high up, you will undoubtedly notice the spectacular view of the city. As you go deeper into the museum, you'll be able to see 4,500 documents and 530 items that show the history of Korea's stock market. 

The museum has four exhibition rooms, a professional library and a lecture hall containing 2,000 square meters. 

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. 

Address: 51st floor, 40, Mun-hyeongeumyung-ro, Nam-gu

△ Finish the finance and economy museum tour with the view from the KRX. 

Bank of Korea Money Museum 

The Bank of Korea Money Museum, located inside the bank's Busan headquarters in Seomyeon, features the history and economic role of the Bank of Korea, with some 500 pieces of Korean and foreign currency, old and new, on display. The museum also has a model of the vault of the Bank of Korea, a counterfeit money detector, a currency value calculator, coin rubbings and stamps. 

Operation hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors need to bring identification cards with them, and groups of 10 people or more are required to make reservations in advance. 

Address: 25, Munhyeongeumyung-ro, Nam-gu