From Head to Toe (Hats and Shoes) - Folk Museum and Nonhyup Museum

In spite of dramatic demographic changes, schools closing down, or rice paddies giving way to concrete, rural Korea can still be reached out, but not all Seoulites are interested in this kind of tourism.

Nonghyup, the agricultural cooperative, allows the younger generations to keep in touch with ancient traditions, and adults can also enjoy its agricultural museum, just next to its Seodaemun Station HQ.

And of course there's always the Folk Museum, with a much wider range of topics from daily life to yangban culture (since my last visit, an old hanok has been transplanted from Chungcheongbuk-do, in front of the museum)... and the peaceful Gyeongbokgung settings at the feet of Bukhansan.

"From Head to Toe" is not a big exhibition but it displays rare items, like this surprisingly modern hat case, or spectacular accessories for special occasions. Also : old illustrations from Western visitors, traditional tales featuring stories of hats or shoes...

National Folk Museum of Korea (nfm.go.kr)
"From Head to Toe - Hats and Shoes" (20110420-0613)
Samcheongno 37, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-820 Korea*
Tel +82.2.3704.3114

Nonghyup Agricultural Museum (agrimuseum.or.kr)
75 Chungjeongno-1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel +82.2080.5727


Seoul Village 2011

* note the change : "Samcheongno" became "Samcheongdong-gil" (see "The Great Korean Revolution : addresses with house numbers and street names")