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Seoul's very first city plan from 1966 is on display, and it's free

8TaehoAm2026.10.18 12:45๐Ÿ‘ 527๐Ÿ’ฌ 12โ™ฅ 32

The Seoul Museum of History near Gwanghwamun has an exhibition called The Grand Panorama of Seoul Urban Planning, running until November 8. It starts from the 1966 Seoul Basic Urban Plan, the first top-level plan the city ever made, drawn up when there was no precedent and barely any reference material, and then walks through how those plans became the Seoul people live in now. I find this kind of thing more satisfying than any palace tour. So many dramas set in the 70s and 80s show the city half-built, dirt roads next to new apartment blocks, and here you can see the actual drawings behind that. The giant wall map in the third photo alone would keep me there for an hour. It's free, and until November 30 the museum stays open until 9 p.m. except Mondays (closed) and Thursdays (6 p.m.). Gwanghwamun station exit 7, about a 7-minute walk. The panels are in Korean, so bring a translation app if you want the details. It's going straight onto my list for the next trip.

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Comments 12

7orbit_kid2026.10.18

seeing the 1966 plan right after riding line 2 at rush hour would be an emotional experience

7hanriver.walk2026.10.18

my father-in-law would love this. he still points at buildings and says 'that was a rice field when I was a kid'

8TaehoOP2026.10.18

Ha, I'd like to know if line 2 was even in the 1966 plan. Something to look for.

7Dahye2026.10.18

free and runs till Nov 8, so I'll say I'm going and then not go until Nov 7 โ˜•

6tteok_n_roll2026.10.18

Free until Nov 8 and near Gwanghwamun, so you can do it on a palace walk day and still be home for dinner.

7hanriver.walk2026.10.18

my father-in-law would love this. he still points at buildings and says 'that was a rice field when I was a kid'

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7Gaeun2026.10.18

A father-in-law who points at buildings and remembers the rice field is a better guide than most museums can hire.

7orbit_kid2026.10.18

seeing the 1966 plan right after riding line 2 at rush hour would be an emotional experience

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8TaehoOP2026.10.18

Ha, I'd like to know if line 2 was even in the 1966 plan. Something to look for.

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7Dahye2026.10.18

Line 2 at rush hour is the exhibit nobody needs a museum for, they just stand inside it.

7Dahye2026.10.18

free and runs till Nov 8, so I'll say I'm going and then not go until Nov 7 โ˜•

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7Junseo2026.10.18

Nov 7 gang, see you in the queue. Honestly a free city plan from 1966 beats most of my weekend plans.

7Soomin2026.10.18

Panels in Korean is the part I'd worry about. Planning documents from 1966 will have vocabulary the translation app has never seen.

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6Bingsu_Bandit2026.10.18

The maps probably don't need translating, which is the whole point. Bring a translation app for the paragraphs, stare at the pictures for the rest.

6tteok_n_roll2026.10.18

Free until Nov 8 and near Gwanghwamun, so you can do it on a palace walk day and still be home for dinner.

7Gaeun2026.10.18

Open till 9 p.m. means you can go after work and have the big wall map almost to yourself. Not Thursday though, that's the early close.

8Dabin2026.10.18

i get way too into old city maps, i'll stare at where a river used to be for 20 min. adding it to the list, free is free

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