-The Gyeonggi Children’s Museum, the largest museum for children in Korea, opened its doors in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province on September 26^th. Children smile for the camera while visiting the museum. (GNews Plus)

Korea’s first independent museum for children has opened in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province.

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Culture Foundation hosted the opening of the Gyeonggi Children’s Museum, which is located in Sanggal-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin City, on September 26^th.

Hundreds of residents came to the event with baby carriages, holding their children’s hands, and in large groups on field trips.

The opening ceremony took place before 800 spectators including Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, multinational families, and children’s groups at the museum square.

In his congratulatory speech, Governor Kim said, “It is an honor to open the largest children’s museum in Gyeonggi Province. Be safe and have a good time with your family and friends.”

After his speech, Governor Kim and other VIP guests pressed a button that released confetti, marking the official opening of the museum.

The opening event, hosted by comedian Kim Jong-seok, began with a Nanta performance by children and a silver robot performance followed by the Tun Tun-i Song sung by child actor Yang Han-yeol and the Rainbow Choir, which consists of children from multinational families-Children busy playing with trains. From the basement to the third story, there are ten exhibition halls, each hosting exhibitions on sports, science and exploration, the human body, the environment, and the cultures of different countries. The goal is to inspire children to learn on their own initiative. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)
-A young child has become a handsome fireman. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)

Gyeonggi Children’s Museum was built on a 26,896 square meter plot next to the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum in Sanggal-dong with an investment of KRW 30.5 billion. It has 10,677 square meter of floor space covering one basement and three stories.

The building consists of storage facilities, a museum shop, a performance theatre, an auditorium, a children’s library, and exhibitions for toddlers. All the facilities are focused on children.

Each exhibition hall is filled with colorful items and interesting displays. Even adults will find themselves immersed.

Kim Mi-jin (33), a Suwon resident who came for the opening, said “There are so many activities that children can experience here. I think it is very educational. I do hope the library acquires more books and operates a larger selection of programs so kids don¡¯t get tired of visiting the museum.”

The ten exhibition halls are categorized according to four topics: Curious Children, Environment-conscious Children, Healthy Children, and Global-minded Children. The halls encompass sports, science and exploration, human anatomy, the environment, and world cultures. They are designed to get children involved and make learning an interesting experience.– On the first floor is the ‘Nature Playground’ for children aged one to three years. They can harvest carrots and cabbages in the field or ride on the train wearing a train costume. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)

-At the Healthy Playground children can try rock climbing, ball shooting, and play a bit of soccer. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)

On the second floor is the Han River and Water exhibition where children can play in the water. A miniature replica of the Han River measuring just 22 meters in length shows the children how water flows from the mountains into the Yellow Sea and how electricity is generated at a dam.

Children can learn how homes are built in the Construction Zone and try building their own using wooden blocks.

On the third floor is the Eco Atelier where children can make crafts with recycled goods. Children learned how to make Vietnamese hats in a special program designed for the opening event.

The ‘These are My Friends’ program enabled children from Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Indonesian families to decorate their rooms and introduce them to visitors. Its purpose was to open channels of communication to promote understanding of other cultures.

-Children having fun at the Gyeonggi Children’s Museum. The museum will continue to offer diverse programs designed to teach children the joys of learning and how to take the initiative in learning. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)

The Children’s Museum was decorated by thirty art benches created by artists and children in collaboration. Some benches were shaped like spaceships, while others would light up.

The exterior of the building is decorated with 1,000 glass paintings with images from Korean fairytales recreated in Hangeul.

A museum opening would not be complete without a special exhibition. The prehistoric instrument program featured at the Jeongok Prehistory Museum has been revamped for children and will be available at the museum until February 26, 2012, under the name ‘Dun, Dun, Ting, Ting – How about this Instrument?’

The entrance fee is KRW 2,000 for Gyeonggi Province residents (adults and children above 2 years), and KRW 4,000 for people visiting from outside the province. The museum is open from 10:00 to 19:00 except Mondays.

-The opening event took place before eight hundred spectators and Governor Kim. Governor Kim, VIP guests, and children stand before the button and get ready for a performance. (GNews Plus Hwang Jin-hwan)