National Iksan Museum - Iksan City, Korea

Greetings PHG fans! Today we're back in the Republic of Korea, checking out the National Iksan Museum and historic temple site. Iksan is near the center of Korea's west coast, roughly an hour and a half from Seoul by train, and about 30 minutes due east of Gunsan, home to the US Air Force's Kunsan Air Base.

National Iksan Museum and Temple Site - Photo credit: Korean Museum Association

Although I haven't been to Iksan, it's on my list of places to visit, if only because I haven't seen it on many travel guides. Luckily, Hallie Bradley has it listed on her excellent website and there are very many useful reviews on Google.

The permanent exhibition includes historic and cultural relics from the local area and across Korea. Artifacts from temples, shrines, palaces, and ordinary homes are on display, including works of art, commerce, and clothing. There ar every many Buddhist relics as well, including from the Maireuksa Temple, which stood from the Unified SilIa period (7th century CE) until its destruction in the Imjin War (16th century CE). I was particularly struck with these items made from celadon, a type of porcelain that looks like jade.

Items made from celadon displayed at the National Iksan Museum in Iksan, ROK. Image courtesy of the museum.

The next special exhibition, scheduled for October 2026 - July 2027 will be centered around the history of the Baekje Royal Temple in Jeseoksa, which stood a short distance away from the Iksan Museum. There is a large archeological dig here as well as many restored sites and is now called the Baekje Cultural Land.

I'm really looking forward to visiting this fantastic museum on my next trip to Korea. If you've been, and want to share your experiences, let us know!

Happy exploring,

Tony