Free Things to Do in Seoul
Palaces, parks and museums that cost nothing
66 places on this map are free to enter. Gwanghwamun Square is open 24 hours, and Gyeonghuigung Palace and Unhyeongung Royal Residence are free too. The permanent galleries at the National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial of Korea cost nothing, and so do Namsan Park, Naksan Park and the Namsan Sky Forest Trail. Bukchon Hanok Village is free to walk, but tourist visits are limited to 10:00 to 17:00 on Bukchon-ro 11-gil, with a ₩100,000 fine outside those hours. Some free places close on Mondays, so check the page before you go.
65 places
Year round When
The places
Palace or temple · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Gyeonghuigung Palace A reconstructed palace west of Gwanghwamun with free entry. The Seoul Museum of History sits next to it.
Museum · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun National Folk Museum of Korea A free museum inside the Gyeongbokgung grounds, with three permanent halls on Korean daily life and a children's museum.
Museum · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun National Palace Museum of Korea A free museum next to Gyeongbokgung on royal court objects, with a Joseon-era collection.
Museum · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun National Museum of Korean Contemporary History A free museum on Sejong-daero covering Korea's history since the 1876 opening of the ports, a block from Gwanghwamun Square.
Museum · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Seoul Museum of History A free city museum beside Gyeonghuigung on Seoul's history, with a large model of the city.
Museum · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Cheongwadae Sarangchae A free exhibition hall near the Blue House with displays on the building and its history. The Blue House itself has been closed to visits since 1 August 2025.
Landmark · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Gwanghwamun Square The wide public square on Sejong-daero in front of Gyeongbokgung, with statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong.
Palace or temple · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Unhyeongung Royal Residence A royal residence where Gojong grew up, a short walk from Anguk Station. Entry is free.
Landmark · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Bukchon Hanok Village A residential hillside of hanok between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. Seoul restricts tourist visits to the alleys of Bukchon-ro 11-gil.
Landmark · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Bukchon Traditional Culture Center A restored hanok that serves as the village's visitor centre, with exhibits on hanok life and a rooftop view over the alleys.
Museum · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Seoul Museum of Craft Art A city-run craft museum on the grounds of the former Pungmun school, with free admission.
Palace or temple · Jongno and Insadong Jogyesa Temple The main temple of the Jogye Order, and the only traditional temple in central Seoul. It hosts the Lotus Lantern Festival and a templestay program.
Park · Jongno and Insadong Cheonggyecheon Stream An 11 km restored stream through central Seoul, from Cheonggye Plaza to the Han River. It passes under 22 bridges.
Shopping · Jongno and Insadong Ssamzigil A craft and shopping complex on Insadong-gil with a spiral walkway from the ground floor to a rooftop garden.
Shopping · Jongno and Insadong Insadong-gil A pedestrian-friendly street of craft shops, galleries and tea houses. It's car-free on Sundays, per Visit Seoul.
Museum · Jongno and Insadong Beautiful Tea Museum A small tea museum in a hanok on Insadong-gil, with a tea house inside.
Landmark · Ikseon-dong Ikseon-dong Hanok Street A maze of narrow alleys of hanok houses turned into cafes, restaurants and shops.
Museum · Myeongdong Bank of Korea Money Museum A museum of banknotes, coins and tokens in the Bank of Korea's old headquarters, which opened as a museum in 2001. Admission is free.
Park · Myeongdong Seoullo 7017 An elevated pedestrian park built on a former highway overpass near Seoul Station, opened on 20 May 2017. The name refers to the overpass built in 1970 and the 17 walkways.
Landmark · Myeongdong Culture Station Seoul 284 The 1925 Gyeongseong Station building, restored and reopened in 2011 as a cultural complex. Site number 284 gives it its name.
Park · Namsan Namsan Park A park on the lower slopes of Namsan with walking trails and the Patriot Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall. Entry is free.
Landmark · Namsan Namsangol Hanok Village A village of Joseon-era hanok moved to the northern foot of Namsan. Admission is free.
Park · Namsan Namsan Sky Forest Trail A walking path on the western side of Namsan beginning at Sowol Garden next to Namsan Library. It's open 24 hours and free.
Museum · Dongdaemun Dongdaemun History Museum A free museum inside Dongdaemun History & Culture Park showing artifacts excavated from the site, including remains of the old city wall.
Museum · Dongdaemun Dongdaemun Stadium Memorial An exhibition on the site's history from Gyeongseong Stadium, opened in 1925, through Dongdaemun Stadium, demolished in 2007. Admission is free.
Landmark · Dongdaemun Heunginjimun Gate The east gate of Seoul's old city wall, also called Dongdaemun. Open 24 hours.
Museum · Dongdaemun Seoul City Wall Museum A free museum on the history of Hanyangdoseong, Seoul's old fortress wall.
Park · Dongdaemun Naksan Park A hillside park along the Seoul City Wall, open 24 hours and free, with city views and a lit wall path at night.
Museum · Dongdaemun Cheonggyecheon Museum A free museum on the history of the Cheonggyecheon area, opened in 2005.
Landmark · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong Hongdae Playground The small public space (listed as Hongik Cultural Park) where the Saturday Free Market is held, with free entry.
Park · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong Gyeongui Line Forest Park (Yeontral Park) A linear park on the former Gyeongui rail line, about 6.3 km in total, with cafes and restaurants along the Yeonnam-dong stretch near Hongik Univ. Station.
Landmark · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong Hongdae R2 Busking Street A pedestrian street near Hongik Univ. Station where performances are arranged through prior registration.
Park · Sinchon Seodaemun Independence Park A free park around the Seodaemun Prison History Hall, open 24 hours.
Park · Mangwon Mangwon Hangang Park A free riverside park with a swimming pool, sports fields and a bike path of about 3.1 km.
Park · Mangwon Mapo Saebit Culture Forest A free Mapo-gu park in Dangin-dong, open 24 hours.
Park · Mapo and World Cup Park World Cup Park A free park complex built around the 2002 World Cup site. Peace Park, Nanji Stream Park and Nanji Han River Park are open at all times.
Park · Mapo and World Cup Park Haneul Park A hilltop park in World Cup Park on a former landfill, known for autumn silver grass.
Park · Mapo and World Cup Park Noeul Park A free park next to Haneul Park on the same landfill hill.
Park · Mapo and World Cup Park Oil Tank Culture Park A former oil depot at the foot of Maebongsan, now a free cultural park with tanks used for exhibitions and performances.
Museum · Itaewon and Hannam-dong National Museum of Korea Korea's national museum, with permanent galleries covering archaeology, art and history, in a large complex beside Yongsan Family Park. Permanent exhibitions are free and special exhibitions charge a fee.
Museum · Itaewon and Hannam-dong War Memorial of Korea Free museum on the Korean War and Korea's military history, with indoor halls and an outdoor display of aircraft, tanks and memorial statues. It sits on Itaewon-ro, a few minutes from Samgakji Station.
Landmark · Itaewon and Hannam-dong Seoul Central Mosque Seoul's central mosque, on a hill above Itaewon, with the street below it known as Itaewon's Islamic street. Non-Muslim visitors can enter if they dress modestly and don't disturb worship.
Park · Seongsu-dong Seoul Forest Large city park in Seongdong-gu with an Eco-Forest, an insect and plant garden, a butterfly garden and a ground fountain. The park itself is open around the clock and free.
K-pop · Seongsu-dong Kwangya@Seoul Free K-pop experience space on the B1 floor of the SM Entertainment building near Seoul Forest, with a media zone, an AR guestbook and fan goods.
Viewpoint · Seongsu-dong Seongsu Pedestrian Overpass Pedestrian bridge over Gangbyeonbuk-ro with views of the Han River, N Seoul Tower and Lotte World Tower. Hangang Park lies directly below.
Park · Seongsu-dong Ttukseom Hangang Park Riverside park on the Han in Gwangjin-gu with sports facilities, an outdoor pool in summer and water sports from May to October. It's open 24 hours.
Park · Yeouido Yeouido Hangang Park Popular riverside park on the Han in the financial district. It has sports areas, bike rental and a summer outdoor pool, and it hosts the fireworks festival each autumn.
Park · Yeouido Yeouido Park City park opened in 1971 on the site of a former runway, with a Korean Traditional Forest, a Culture Plaza, a grass field and an ecological forest.
Landmark · Yeouido National Assembly Building South Korea's parliament building. Free guided visits run on weekdays and Saturday mornings, with a limit of 150 people per session.
Park · Yeouido Yeouido Yunjung-ro Cherry Blossom Road About 1.7 km of Yunjung-ro lined with roughly 1,800 cherry trees. The Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival ran April 3 to 7 in 2026, with traffic restricted on the main section.
Park · Yeouido Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park Riverside ecological park, described by Visit Seoul as the first in Korea created to preserve the area's ecosystem, with signs naming native plants and nature programs through the year.
Landmark · Gangnam and Sinsa Starfield Library A free public library in the middle of Starfield COEX Mall with a 13 m wall of shelves and roughly 70,000 books.
Landmark · Gangnam and Sinsa Gangnam Square A plaza between exits 11 and 12 of Gangnam Station with a media wall that plays K-pop videos and a heart-shaped slogan sculpture. A line of 18 media poles called G-LIGHT runs about 760 m toward Sinnonhyeon.
Park · Apgujeong and Cheongdam Dosan Park A small park built to commemorate independence activist Ahn Chang-ho, with a statue, a memorial hall and the tomb where he and his wife are buried. A circular path runs through the trees.
K-pop · Apgujeong and Cheongdam K-Star Road A themed street of about 1 km from Apgujeong Rodeo Station to the Cheongdam intersection, set up in 2014. Visit Gangnam splits it into zones A to D, and says Gangnam Dol art toy figures stand along it.
Park · Jamsil Seokchon Lake A lake in Jamsil split into West Lake and East Lake by Songpa-daero, with a path of about 2.5 km around it. Lotte World's Magic Island sits in the west lake.
Park · Jamsil Olympic Park A park built for the 1988 Seoul Olympics in four zones: arts and culture, recreation and sport, environment and history. It holds more than 200 sculptures and sits on the Mongchontoseong site.
Landmark · Jamsil World Peace Gate A monument in the Peace Square of Olympic Park, built for the 1988 Games. The official page gives its height as 24 m and notes four guardian-beast paintings under the wing ceilings.
Landmark · Jamsil Mongchontoseong Fortress and Museum of History The remains of a Baekje earthen fortress inside Olympic Park, with a 2.4 km walking trail. The museum shows finds from the excavation, including a reconstructed pit dwelling.
Day trip · DMZ Imjingak Imjingak in Paju sits about 7 km from the DMZ and about 56 km from Seoul City Hall. The Pyeonghwa Nuri Park around it has no entry fee.
Day trip · DMZ Odusan Unification Observatory An observatory in Paju at the meeting point of the Han and Imjin rivers, looking across to North Korea. Admission and parking are both free.
Day trip · Suwon Hwaseong Fortress The UNESCO-listed fortress wall around Suwon's old town. Walking the wall is free.
Day trip · Incheon Incheon Chinatown A Chinatown beside Incheon Station, formed after the port opened in 1883, now known for Chinese restaurants and street food.
Day trip · Incheon Songdo Central Park A seawater park in Songdo with boat and water taxi hire at its east and west boathouses. It's open 24 hours and free to enter.
Day trip · Incheon Incheon Grand Park A large urban park with a zoo, botanical garden and Future Environment Hall. The park is free to enter.
