Rainy Day Seoul
Museums, markets and covered streets
July is the wettest month in Seoul, with about 414 mm of rain on average, and the central-region monsoon normally runs from 25 June to 26 July, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. 67 places on this map work as indoor plans. The National Folk Museum, the National Palace Museum and the Seoul Museum of History are in the old town, and MMCA Seoul and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art are in Bukchon. Namdaemun Market and the Hoehyeon underground shopping centre keep you under cover in Myeongdong. Museums close on set days, so check each page.
67 places
June to August When
The places
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.
Market · Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Tongin Market A market in Seochon with about 80 stores, known for the yeopjeon dosirak, where you buy brass coins and fill a lunch box from stalls.
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 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 Gahoe Museum A small museum of Korean folk painting (minhwa) and charms, on Bukchon-ro.
Museum · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA Seoul) The national museum of modern and contemporary art, in the former Defence Security Command site beside Samcheong-dong. It holds large paid exhibitions and some free ones.
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.
Museum · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Kukje Gallery A major commercial art gallery on Samcheong-ro with several exhibition buildings.
Museum · Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Gallery Hyundai One of Korea's long-running contemporary art galleries, on Samcheong-ro.
Palace or temple · Jongno and Insadong Changgyeonggung Palace A smaller palace beside Changdeokgung, open into the evening, with a pond and a greenhouse in the rear grounds.
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.
Museum · Jongno and Insadong Beautiful Tea Museum A small tea museum in a hanok on Insadong-gil, with a tea house inside.
Landmark · Myeongdong Nanta Theater (Myeongdong) A dedicated venue for Nanta, a non-verbal comedy show set in a kitchen and built on samulnori percussion rhythms. It's one of three exclusive Nanta theaters in Seoul.
Landmark · Myeongdong Myeongdong Theater A mid-sized theater at 35 Myeongdong-gil that stages plays, musicals and experimental work, on the former site of the National Theater of Korea.
Market · Myeongdong Namdaemun Market One of Seoul's largest traditional markets, a wholesale and retail warren beside the old Namdaemun gate. Its food alleys are known for kal-guksu and braised hairtail.
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.
Shopping · Myeongdong Shinsegae Department Store Main Store A department store between Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market, described by Visit Seoul as Korea's first department store, in an early 20th century style building.
Shopping · Myeongdong Hoehyeon Underground Shopping Center An underground shopping arcade beside Hoehyeon Station, reached from exit 7.
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.
Bathhouse · Myeongdong Siloam Sauna A 24-hour sauna and jjimjilbang on Jungnim-ro in Jung-gu, near Seoul Station.
Landmark · Dongdaemun Dongdaemun Design Plaza A Zaha Hadid-designed cultural complex that opened on 21 March 2014, with exhibition halls, a design market and a landscaped roof park. It sits above Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station.
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.
Shopping · Dongdaemun Doota Mall A fashion mall opened in 1999 in the Doosan Tower, with a night duty-free store. It stays open until midnight.
Museum · Dongdaemun Seoul City Wall Museum A free museum on the history of Hanyangdoseong, Seoul's old fortress wall.
Museum · Dongdaemun Cheonggyecheon Museum A free museum on the history of the Cheonggyecheon area, opened in 2005.
Museum · Dongdaemun Cheonggyecheon Shack Theme Zone A recreation of 1960s and 70s shacks and shops, attached to the Cheonggyecheon Museum.
Landmark · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong KT&G Sangsangmadang Hongdae An arts complex run by KT&G on Eoulmadang-ro, with exhibition, performance and film spaces. Opening times differ by space.
Shopping · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong Kakao Friends Hongdae Flagship Store A character store for Kakao Friends (Ryan, Apeach and others) a minute from Hongik Univ. Station exit 8.
K-pop · Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong K-Pop Square Hongdae A K-pop merchandise and fan-experience store on Yanghwa-ro. Visit Seoul says the Line Friends Hongdae flagship store reopened as K-Pop Square Hongdae.
Museum · Sinchon Seodaemun Prison History Hall A museum on the site of a colonial-era prison, within Seodaemun Independence Park.
Museum · Sinchon Seodaemun Museum of Natural History A natural history museum run by Seodaemun-gu. The museum says it holds about 54,000 specimens.
Bathhouse · Sinchon Supsok Hanbang Land A herbal-medicine themed sauna in Seodaemun-gu with a charcoal kiln. The listing gives hours of 06:30 to 22:00.
Museum · Mapo and World Cup Park Korean Film Archive (KOFA) Sangam The Sangam home of the Korean Film Museum and Cinematheque KOFA, in the Digital Media City complex.
Museum · Itaewon and Hannam-dong Leeum Museum of Art Art museum in Hannam-dong with a free permanent display of Korean antique art on the M1 level and paid special exhibitions. Entry to the paid shows is by online reservation.
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.
Museum · Itaewon and Hannam-dong Pace Gallery Seoul Seoul space of the international contemporary art gallery Pace, on Itaewon-ro close to Hangangjin Station. Entry fee isn't listed on the official tourism page.
Cafe · Seongsu-dong Daelim Changgo Former rice mill turned into a cafe, bar and dining space with a gallery that is open during cafe hours. It is one of the best-known reference points in Seongsu.
Bathhouse · Seongsu-dong Riverside Spa Land A large 24-hour bathhouse and jjimjilbang on the second basement level of a building by the Han River. Visit Seoul lists daytime jjimjilbang entry at ₩15,000 for adults and ₩17,000 at night.
Shopping · Yeouido The Hyundai Seoul Large department store and mall in the Park One complex. Visit Seoul lists retail hours of 10:30 to 20:00 on weekdays and 10:30 to 20:30 on Friday to Sunday, with restaurants open until 22:00.
Shopping · Yeouido IFC Mall Indoor mall across levels B1 to B3 of the Yeouido IFC complex. Visit Seoul lists 10:00 to 22:00 with hours varying by store.
Museum · Yeouido Centre Pompidou Hanwha Contemporary art museum in the annex of the 63 Building. Its own site lists a Garden Project, Things Carved In, on the 63 garden from September 6, 2026 to March 7, 2027.
Palace or temple · Gangnam and Sinsa Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs Two UNESCO-listed Joseon burial sites in the middle of the office district. Seolleung holds King Seongjong and Queen Jeonghyeon Yun, and Jeongneung holds King Jungjong.
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.
Shopping · Gangnam and Sinsa Starfield COEX Mall A large underground mall at Samseong Station that links the COEX convention centre, an aquarium, a cinema and the Starfield Library.
Landmark · Gangnam and Sinsa COEX Aquarium An aquarium inside COEX with about 40,000 animals across 650 species, according to Visit Gangnam.
Shopping · Gangnam and Sinsa Gangnam Station Underground Shopping Center A long underground arcade under Gangnam-daero with low-priced clothes, accessories and bags.
K-pop · Gangnam and Sinsa Ktown4u COEX A K-pop album and merchandise store on floors 2 to 4 of COEX Artium, listed by Visit Gangnam as a major online and offline K-pop retailer.
Museum · Gangnam and Sinsa My Art Museum A private art museum in the basement of the Textile Center building in Samseong-dong, opened in 2019. Visit Gangnam lists works by Chagall and Matisse among its exhibitions.
Museum · Gangnam and Sinsa POSCO Art Museum A gallery in the basement of the POSCO Center. The gallery opened in 1995 and the art museum in 1998.
Museum · Gangnam and Sinsa Horim Museum Sinsa The Sinsa branch of the Horim Museum, opened in June 2009, showing Korean cultural heritage objects.
Bathhouse · Gangnam and Sinsa Spa Lei A women-only spa near Sinsa Station with a Hungarian-style sauna. Admission is listed at ₩22,000.
Shopping · Apgujeong and Cheongdam Galleria Department Store A luxury department store on Apgujeong-ro in two halls, West and East, that Visit Gangnam credits as the first in Korea to sell Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.
Museum · Apgujeong and Cheongdam Perrotin Seoul Dosan Park The Seoul branch of the international gallery Perrotin, beside Dosan Park. Visit Gangnam says it is the gallery's second Seoul space, after its Samcheong-dong opening in 2016.
Landmark · Jamsil Lotte World Adventure A theme park opened in 1989 with an indoor section and an outdoor Magic Island on an artificial island in Seokchon Lake. Visit Seoul counts 22 rides indoors and 17 on Magic Island.
Landmark · Jamsil Lotte World Aquarium An aquarium in the basement of Lotte World Mall with 13 themed zones and about 55,000 animals from over 650 species.
Shopping · Jamsil Lotte World Mall The shopping complex at the foot of Lotte World Tower, with the Avenuel department store, Lotte Mart, a duty-free store, restaurants and the aquarium.
Museum · Jamsil Seoul Baekje Museum A history museum on a Baekje-era site in Songpa-gu, with exhibition halls and a 4D theatre on Baekje and prehistoric Korea.
Food · Jamsil Hanguk Jip Lotte World Mall A Korean restaurant on the fifth floor of Lotte World Mall, listed with yukhoe bibimbap and Jeonju bibimbap as signature dishes.
Cafe · Jamsil Aqua Garden Cafe A cafe and dessert shop on the first basement level of Lotte World Mall.
Day trip · Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Palace The temporary palace inside Hwaseong Fortress. Adults pay ₩2,000, teenagers ₩1,500 and children ₩1,000.
Day trip · Suwon Suwon Hwaseong Museum A museum on the history and construction of Hwaseong Fortress. Adult admission is ₩2,000.
