Museum Kimchikan

A couple of months ago I was asked if there was any place in Seoul where people could try kimchi making. Till then, I had never considered participating in a kimchi cooking class. Kimchi is a part of our everyday life, so we learn how to make it from our parents not from cooking classes. As a local I never had the need for Kimchi making programs. Thanks to that request, I got to realize that participating in a Kimchi making class would be a fun cultural experience for visitors to Korea, especially for foodies. 😉

Museum Kimchikan

Museum Kimchikan is a place where you can experience everything about Kimchi. It is the Korea’s first kimchi museum and it offers various kimchi making programs. 

Location 

It is located in Insa-dong which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Seoul, so it would be easy to make a visit to this museum while staying in Seoul. The museum is on 4th~6th floor of a cultural complex, Insadong Maru.

Kimchi Making Program

To participate in cooking classes, you need to make a reservation. After you check the details of experience programs on the website, send an e-mail to museum@pulmuone.com.

This poster posted outside of the museum says visitors can just come to the self kimchi making class without a reservation on weekends. So, you can try this one as well.

I booked the Haru Kimchi Program online. I paid the admission fee (5,000 won) and the program fee (6,000 won) on site.     

Haru Kimchi program is basically self serviced experience. All food ingredients were already prepared and the process was really simple and easy to follow.    

The museum gives you a travel-safe container for your own kimchi. I brought kimchi I made with me home. The seal was tight enough to prevent the leaking and smell. 

The program is children friendly. There were about 10 children in the class when I was there.

Exhibition

I quite liked the old pictures of Kimjang. Kimjang is the tradition of making and sharing kimchi and it was designated a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.   

You can taste different kinds of kimchi here in a kimchi tasting room. 
         

There is a cafe in the museum. It is actually a book cafe where you can read books on kimchi.        

Visitors can look lactobacillus bacteria with a microscope.

Do you like Hanbok? You can try on Hanbok for free!   

You can make virtual kimchi through interactive interfaces, which was quite fascinating.

Museum Kimchikan

Website : www.kimchikan.com/en/
Address : 4th ~ 6th Floor of MUSEUM KIMCHIKAN, 35-4, Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Operating Hours : Tuesday ~Sunday, 10:00 ~ 18:00
Telephone : 02-6002-6456, 02-2223-2573, 02-6002-6477
e-mail : museum@pulmuone.com
Admission Fee : Adult: 5,000 won, 8~18 years old: 3,000 won, 36 months~7 years old: 2,000 won
Transportation
Subway: Jonggak Station (Line 1), Exit No.3 / Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit No.6