Arario Museum

Founded by Korean businessman, collector and artist Kim Chang-il, known as Ci Kim, the private Arario Museum occupies three locations on Korea’s southernmost Jeju island, a popular getaway destination, and one site in Seoul. Each museum is housed in historical or commercial buildings that have been repurposed with minimal renovation, reflecting the institution’s philosophy of simplicity and focus on the visitor experience. The Seoul location, situated in the city’s historic downtown quarter, occupies the former office building of renowned Korean architect Kim Swoo-geun, a structure built in the 1970s and designated a national cultural heritage site in 2014. The museums showcase contemporary art from Kim’s private collection, which includes more than 5,000 artworks by Korean and international artists including Nam June Paik, Kohei Nawa, Kim Soun-Gui, Chang Woon Sang, Keith Haring, Barbara Kruger, Marc Quinn, Damien Hirst and Subodh Gupta. The exhibitions are rotated through permanent and temporary exhibitions and often dedicate single rooms to individual artists.

_{Photo: Exhibition view at Arario Museum Tapdong Cinema. © Arario Museum}