I’ve seen this kimchi museum on Naver Maps and some travel guides every time I search for something to do in the Insadong area. However, I only managed to drop by in 2023 when we had extra time to spare.
Kimchi is a hallmark of Korean cuisine and I actually love it a lot, even though I can’t take spicy food very well.
What to do at Museum Kimchikan
At Museum Kimchikan, you can learn about kimchi in all its different forms. You can even use microscopes to view the lactic acid bacteria that helps make kimchi good for health!
There were some hands-on games and activities as well, which would interest both children and adults.
Traditionally, kimchi is made in a crock and left outside the house. However, these days modern Korean households actually have refrigerators with special kimchi compartments!
I loved this realistic exhibit on the different types of kimchi that are typically made during the different seasons:
I was even more excited when I saw this display of the different kimchi varieties. These are REAL preserved foods that are kept in this cold room / fridge that you can walk in to and it really blew my mind.
Most of us associate kimchi with vegetables such as napa cabbage and radish. However, did you know that you could make kimchi out of literally anything, including fruits?
The part I was looking forward to the most was tasting samples of different varieties of kimchi HAHA. The sample portions were a bit smaller than what I expected to be honest, but it’s understandable!
In case you’re wondering if this is a free-for-all, I’m sorry to inform otherwise. Unfortunately there is a limit to how many samples you can try (might be one per person?) But it is still quite a nice touch!
You can also purchase full packs of these kimchi from their souvenir store if you liked the samples.
The museum also holds kimchi-making activities and classes for visitors. We didn’t join this as we didn’t prebook in advance, but you should certainly check it out. Plus, you get to bring home your own kimchi to eat!
Is Museum Kimchikan worth visiting?
Overall I would say that Museum Kimchikan was a nice stop in Insadong for us, but it is not really one of those attractions that I would travel all the way there to visit.
It’s also unlikely that I would visit this kimchi museum again as they don’t seem to change up their exhibits. But I think still great to check out if it’s your first time visiting Korea or generally have a huge interest in kimchi!
DIRECTIONS
Address: 35-4 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening Hours: Mon (closed), Tues – Fri (10am – 6pm)
Related posts:
- Jjajangmyeon Museum: a look into Chinese cuisine in Korea
- Grevin Museum: wax museum with many Korean celebrities
- K-Museum of Contemporary Art: overpriced private art gallery
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