Museum SAN was born from the dream and passion of the eldest daughter of the Samsung family : Museum SAN

Museum SAN is a place where art and architecture harmonize beautifully with the surrounding nature. At the foot of a mountain 275 meters above sea level, the architecture of world-renowned master Tadao Ando blends seamlessly with nature, and the works by famous artists such as Nam June Paik, Henry Moore, and James Turrell, along with precious national treasures and treasures, are on display. For the fifth time in a row, Museum SAN has been selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization as one of the 100 Must-Visit Tourist Spots of Korea.

Museum SAN was born from the dream and passion of the eldest daughter of the Samsung family.

The Museum SAN was founded by the late Lee In-hee, a former Hansol Group advisor and the eldest daughter of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull. Described as “Korea’s first female art collector,” Lee has a deep appreciation of art and a love for culture. From a young age, she developed an eye for art by closely observing her father’s interest in and collection of artworks. In 1995, she founded the Hansol Cultural Foundation with her own money to spread and promote Korea’s excellent culture at home and abroad, and in 2013, she opened Museum SAN, a complex cultural and art space representing Korea. Although it started as a private collection, the museum was built to give back to society and share it with many people instead of limiting it as private property. 

Today, it has become one of Korea’s leading cultural and art spaces, but there were initial concerns. Even Tadao Ando, the world-renowned Japanese architect who designed the museum, admits that when he was first asked to design the museum, he doubted whether people would come to the museum, which is far from Seoul. It was the former advisor, Lee In-hee, who convinced him otherwise. She told him then, “We’re going to build a museum like no other in Asia, maybe even the world. Then, people will come.” With Lee’s strong desire, Tadao Ando decided to take on the design. 

The museum attracts professionals from all walks of life and domestic and international celebrities.

Museum SAN is located in the mountains of Gangwon-do, a secluded and quiet region far from the metropolis of Seoul. When Tadao Ando visited the site in 2005, he was impressed by the “coziness of being surrounded by beautiful mountains and nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” which he incorporated into his architecture. Each building was designed to adapt to the unique mountainous terrain and harmonize with the surrounding nature.

The name “SAN” is also in line with the architectural intention. The first letters of the acronym stand for “Space, Art, and Nature,” meaning, “We will provide healing through the enjoyment of art in a cultural space located in the great nature.” The harmonious combination of architecture and art in nature surrounded by mountains makes the name Museum SAN (“San” in Korean means “Mountain, 山”) exquisite. 

Consisting of the Welcome Center, Flower Garden, Water Garden, Main Building, Meditation Hall, Stone Garden, and James Turrell Hall, Museum SAN has been widely recognized as a special cultural and artistic space in harmony with nature, attracting not only the general public but also professionals and celebrities from all walks of life, including the arts, architecture, and design worlds. BTS leader RM, known for his love of art, has visited the museum, and world-renowned author Bernard Werber visited here with a group of poetry readers during his visit to Korea. The museum has also been featured in several TV commercials, including a coffee commercial starring actor Gong Yoo. Just as how Lee wished during her lifetime, Museum SAN is becoming a world-class art museum beyond Korea.