Seoul’s Jeong-dong: visiting Deoksugung Palace and the art museum together

Start at Deoksugung Palace, follow Jeongdong-gil and the area around the palace’s stone wall, and continue to the Seoul Museum of Art Seosomun Main Branch. This walk takes in the spaces inside the palace, early modern architecture along the streets, and the museum’s exhibitions in turn.

The route at a glance

Deoksugung Palace → Jeongdong-gil and the area around the stone wall of Deoksugung Palace → Seoul Museum of Art Seosomun Main Branch

This route is for anyone interested in history and architecture, or planning a Seoul outing that includes an exhibition. Rather than packing the schedule tightly, set aside roughly half a day and adjust it to how much you want to see. This is a suggested itinerary, not a guide based on measured walking or visiting times.

1. Deoksugung Palace: begin with the palace

The first stop is Deoksugung Palace. Starting here lets you explore the spaces inside the palace before turning your attention to the streets of Jeong-dong beyond its walls. Rather than trying to see every building, choose the spaces that interest you most.

There is an important distinction to make before visiting. General admission to Deoksugung Palace and admission to exhibition buildings within the grounds do not have the same conditions. Official guidance specifies that Seokjojeon Hall requires an advance online reservation and a visit accompanied by a guide. If you want to see Seokjojeon Hall, check reservation availability first and plan your palace visit around it.

2. Jeongdong-gil: the way between destinations is part of the trip

After the palace, explore Jeongdong-gil and the area around the stone wall of Deoksugung Palace. Here, the street itself deserves as much attention as the next destination. Notice how the streetscape changes along the wall and look at the exteriors of the surrounding buildings.

The Seoul Tourism Organization introduces Jeong-dong as an area where the stone wall of Deoksugung Palace meets early modern buildings. Its official guided walking tour, “Modern Times in Jeong-dong,” includes Seoul Hall of Urbanism & Architecture, Chungdong First Methodist Church, Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum, and Seoul Museum of Art. If you would like guided explanations of the buildings and the area’s history, this program is worth considering separately.

The walk suggested here, however, is arranged differently from that official guided tour. Rather than adding every landmark, choose the stretches that interest you between Deoksugung Palace and the museum. That better suits the intention of this outing. Decide on your actual walking route after checking entrances and which sections are accessible to pedestrians.

3. Seoul Museum of Art Seosomun Main Branch: from architecture to exhibitions

The final stop is the Seoul Museum of Art Seosomun Main Branch. According to its official introduction, the building brings together the façade of the former Supreme Court and contemporary architecture. You can begin your museum visit by looking at the exterior before entering the galleries.

The gaze that began at the palace travels through the streets of Jeong-dong and reaches the museum building. Simply comparing spaces with different purposes gives this walk a theme. Some buildings tell their stories through the history within them; other spaces do so through the exhibitions they host today.

Choose an exhibition with your visit date in mind. No particular exhibition is always on, so check the listings before setting out and build your time around one that interests you. Special exhibitions may have different fees or admission conditions.

Alongside its galleries, the museum lists SeMA L, a space for learning and relaxation, and an outdoor sculpture park among its facilities. Leave yourself a little time after the exhibition to pause in whichever spaces are available that day.

What to check before setting out

Both Deoksugung Palace and the museum generally list Monday as their closed day, but their public-holiday exceptions and the way these apply are different. To visit both, check each venue separately to make sure they are open on the same date.

Deoksugung Palace • Official guidance: General visiting hours 09:00–21:00, last admission 20:00. Regular closing day: Monday • Check before visiting: Public-holiday and substitute-holiday exceptions, exhibition-building reservations, admission fees Seosomun Main Branch • Official guidance: Tuesday–Thursday 10:00–20:00, Friday 10:00–21:00 • Check before visiting: Exhibitions, reservations, and temporary operating changes on your visit date Seosomun Main Branch on weekends and public holidays • Official guidance: March–October 10:00–19:00, November–February 10:00–18:00 • Check before visiting: Last admission 1 hour before closing

The address of Seosomun Main Branch is 61, Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. The museum states that it closes on January 1 and every Monday, but opens as usual when Monday is a public holiday. Admission is free, although special exhibitions may charge a fee. Deoksugung Palace states that it opens when its regular closing day falls on a public holiday or substitute public holiday, and closes on the first following day that is not a public holiday instead.

This information follows official guidance checked on October 12, 2026. Before visiting, check the latest notices and your actual walking route.

See how places connect, rather than simply seeing more

The point is not to fit in more stops. Compare the palace spaces with the streets outside, then carry that attention to architecture into the museum. Leave room between visits to notice those connections.

Questions before your visit

Does admission to Deoksugung Palace include unrestricted access to Seokjojeon Hall?

General admission does not guarantee a visit to the hall. If it is part of your plan, arrange the palace visit around its advance online booking and guide-accompanied admission requirements.

Do Deoksugung Palace and the Seoul Museum of Art Seosomun Main Branch follow the same closure rules when Monday is a public holiday?

No. The museum opens on public-holiday Mondays, while the palace opens when its regular closing day falls on a public or substitute holiday and closes on the first subsequent non-holiday, so check the following dates separately too.

Is the Deoksugung–Jeongdong-gil–Seosomun Main Branch route an official guided walking tour?

No. This is a separate editorial suggestion linking palace, streets and museum; consider the official “Modern Times in Jeong-dong” separately if you want historical commentary. Its stated duration does not apply to this walk.