I have to admit that the World Jewellery Museum in Seoul, South Korea was not on my radar as a jewelry tourism destination. By jewelry tourism, I don’t mean shopping. I’m talking about sightseeing that involves jewelry and gemstones!
Think oohing and ahhing over the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., or waiting in line to see the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Or, staring way too long at a diamond-studded replica of “Starry Night” at Amsterdam’s Diamond Museum during your spring break from graduate school. It all counts.
At the time, I was more focused on the “Rocket Man” debacle and resultant escalating tensions than planning an itinerary. But one day during my lunch break at the store, I was flipping through “Lonely Planet: Seoul” and came across the World Jewellery Museum. I was immediately intrigued and knew we’d have to make a stop there during our trip. After investigating more, I learned that it was founded in 2004 by Lee Kang-Won, a diplomat’s wife who amassed an impressive collection of jewelry during her decades of world travel. The museum features her private collection along with donated pieces.
Before the trip I reached out to Elaine Kim, the founder’s daughter and current deputy director of the museum. In addition to her work at the museum, she is a museum management and curatorship professor at Kyung Hee University. I asked if I could meet her, but sadly, she would be traveling during my time in Seoul. Despite never meeting in person, she was incredibly gracious and generous with her time and resources.
Elaine’s passion for what she does is evident. The entire layout of the museum is reminiscent of a jewelry box with different compartments. The first two floors are dark, but strategically-placed spotlights illuminate the collections. There is jewelry from all over the world and many different time periods. From African tribal jewelry to a stunning gown embroidered with pearls, patrons will have their eyes opened to just how important jewelry has been as a cultural symbol throughout history. Seeing so many examples of this in one place is quite striking.
The top floor features rotating exhibitions. When I visited, the exhibition was Masterpieces with Painted Jewels. It featured reproductions of some of the most famous paintings in the world, all of which include jewelry. Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” and Gustav Klimt’s “The Woman in Gold” were just a few of the works there. Next to each print was an explanation of the artist’s use of specific jewelry pieces to convey meaning.
As a lover of both travel and jewelry, I found this fascinating. I’ve seen several of the paintings in person during various trips and very much enjoyed reading about the jewelry in each one. It’s a testament to Elaine’s curating skills that I barely noticed the amazing view from the floor-to-ceiling windows until after I read the explanation next to every work.
The World Jewellery Museum makes for a perfect stop before or after exploring the nearby Bukchon Hanok Village or Gyeongbokgung Palace, two of the better-known tourist destinations in Seoul. I highly recommend visiting this hidden treasure if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood.
World Jewellery Museum
75-3 Hwa-dong, Jongro-gu
Seoul, South Korea
+82 2-730-1610