VISIT JEJU

Bonte Museum was established in 2012 with the goal of exploring the universality of human notions of beauty through crafts, spanning from the traditional to the contemporary. It aims to connect people to people, nature to architecture, tradition to modernity, and Korea to the world, establishing a Korean cultural identity through beauty and inspire emotion in people the world over to cultivate a richer and more abundant future for humanity.

The Bonte Museum building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando (1941–), embodying his signature poetic harmony marble-like exposed concrete, light, and water. The water flowing down the gently-sloped walls in particular creates a serene and tranquil moment, ideal for meditation.

The museum seeks to explore new values appropriate for the future of humanity through a combination of exquisite traditional Korean crafts and contemporary artworks by global artists such as Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Nam June Paik, and Robert Indiana. Beyond exhibitions, it functions as a multifunctional cultural space, supporting charitable projects and offering educational programs, seminars, and lectures.

The museum contains five exhibition halls. Hall 1 displays a wide variety of traditional Korean crafts created with a variety of materials and technique, captivating visitors with their refined elegance. Hall 2 showcases contemporary art, featuring works by renowned artists such as Picasso, Dalí, and Andy Warhol, with some famous works of video art by Nam June Paik exhibited in a separate room.

Hall 3 is dedicated to famous Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama. Highlights include the striking contrast of black and yellow in the installation piece Pumpkin, and the immersive Infinity Mirrored Room – Gleaming Lights of Souls, designed to mimic a boundless world of lights.

Hall 4 is dedicated to Korean Traditional Funeral Rites, including ceremonial carts and puppets, as well as treasures dedicated to the deceased. Hall 5 is the museum’s Special Exhibition Hall which features changing exhibits, with an exhibition of Buddhist art exploring life under the theme “Space” currently on display.