How About Visiting Palaces, Royal Tombs, and Museums During the Longest Chuseok Holiday?

[Financial News] During this year's extended Chuseok holiday, which lasts up to ten days (from the 3rd to the 12th), why not visit palaces, royal tombs, or museums with your family or relatives?
Seoul's major palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty will open their doors wide and welcome visitors free of charge. From the 3rd to the 9th, the four major palaces (Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, and Changgyeonggung Palace), Jongmyo Shrine, and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty will be open every day without closure and offer free admission. Notably, Jongmyo Shrine, which usually requires reservations, will allow free access during the Chuseok holiday. However, the Secret Garden at Changdeokgung Palace will remain a paid attraction as usual.
The 'Gyeongbokgung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony,' held twice daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the 'Royal Guard Patrol Ceremony' at 3 p.m., can also be enjoyed without prior reservation. The Korea Heritage Service will also host special palace programs during the holiday, including the 'Gyeongbokgung Palace Saenggwabang,' where visitors can experience royal desserts, and the 'Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour,' which features traditional performances under the night sky.
The '2025 Autumn Royal Culture Festival' will also take place during the holiday. On the 8th, the 'Jongmyo Humanities Concert' led by Korean history lecturer Tae-Sung Choi will be held at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall in Jongmyo Shrine. At Changgyeonggung Palace, the 'Donggwal Jangwonseo' program will allow senior participants to create companion plants. Advance reservations are required for these events.

A variety of cultural and arts programs and festivals will also be held throughout downtown Seoul to celebrate Chuseok.
Seoul's signature nighttime cultural program, 'Culture by Night,' will kick off the holiday festivities. This program extends the operating hours of city-run cultural facilities every Friday and offers special events.
The 'Seoul Autumn Festa,' a pure performing arts festival debuting this year, will open with a spectacular ceremony at Seoul Plaza on the 4th. The 'Seoul Street Arts Festival,' with a 23-year history, will take place from the 6th to the 8th at Seoul Plaza and along Cheonggyecheon Stream. On the 11th, the 'Seoul Community Arts Festival,' featuring over 500 amateur artists, will be held at Nodeul Island.
At Namsangol Hanok Village, a traditional space synonymous with Chuseok, the '2025 Namsangol Chuseok Festival Playground' will run daily from the 5th to the 7th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Unhyeongung Royal Residence will host the 'Wish-Fulfilling Hangawi' event from the 5th to the 9th, also from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. At Uijeongbu Historical Site Plaza in front of Gwanghwamun, the 'Traditional Martial Arts Reenactment' will be held from the 6th to the 9th and again on the 11th. The 'Seoul City Wall Moonlight Night Walk' will take place along the Seoul City Wall (Hanyangdoseong) on the 4th, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Many other events and festivals are also scheduled in various regions.
At Wolmi Park in Incheon, the 'Hangawi Folk Experience Festival' will run from the 5th to the 7th. Families can make traditional treats such as injeolmi, hangwa, and gochujang, and enjoy a variety of folk games.
From the 3rd to the 10th, the 'Baekje Cultural Festival' will be held in Gongju-si and Buyeo County, Chungcheongnam-do. In Gongju-si, performances will reinterpret the funeral of King Muryeong and the enthronement ceremony of King Seong, both key figures in Baekje history.
In Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, the 'Nam River Lantern Festival' will take place from the 4th to the 19th, set against the backdrop of the Nam River and Jinjuseong Fortress. Visitors can enjoy the sight of over 70,000 colorful lanterns illuminating the river.

Museums and art galleries are also preparing special programs for Chuseok.
On the 7th, the Seoul Museum of History will host the 'Hangawi Hanmadang' from noon to 4 p.m., while the Seoul Baekje Museum will hold the 'Hangawi Grand Festival' from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The National Museum of Korea will present the '2025 The Art Spot Series – Museum Edition' from the 5th to the 9th.
The Seoul Museum of Art and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) will remain open throughout the Chuseok holiday. The National Museum of Korea, Leeum Museum of Art, Ho-Am Art Museum, and Lotte Museum of Art will also operate as usual, except on the day of Chuseok, the 6th. Lotte Museum of Art will offer a 30% discount on admission for visitors during the holiday.
rsunjun@fnnews.com Yoo Sun-jun Reporter