The City's History at Former Provincial Offices and Marketplaces: Free Cultural Heritage Tours in Five Regions

[Financial News] Free tours will take visitors to old marketplaces, former government offices and sites of the pro-democracy movement to explore the history of modern and contemporary cities. The program includes lectures by architectural experts and visits to architectural heritage sites.
According to the Korea Heritage Service on the 10th, the “2026 Modern and Contemporary Architectural Heritage Tour: Hey! Modern City” will run from the 24th through December 12 in five regions: South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City, Daegu, Yeongdeok in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Busan and Daejeon.
The program is hosted by the Korea Heritage Service and organized by Docomomo Korea and Mokwon University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation. In each region, lectures are paired with on-site commentary on themes including the independence and pro-democracy movements, residents’ lives and the uses of buildings.
The first tour will take place on the 24th in Gwangju Special City. Participants will visit Jeonil Building 245, May 18th National Cemetery, the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office and May 18 Democracy Plaza, among other sites. A lecture will also cover how spaces commemorating May 18 took shape.
On November 7 in Daegu, the tour will visit the Daegu Modern History Museum, Gyeseong School, missionary houses and Gyonam YMCA, among other sites. The itinerary will explore traces of the independence movement alongside modern architecture.
On November 14 in Yeongdeok, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the tour will take in buildings connected to residents’ lives in the Yeonghae area, including salt shops, a shoe store, a former financial association, a brewery and residences, and the former bus terminal.
The Yeonghae Market Street Modern History and Culture Space was registered as a National Registered Cultural Heritage on November 4, 2019. Beyond the buildings’ appearance and dates, the space offers a way to explore residents’ everyday lives through the connections among shops, homes and transportation facilities.
On November 28 in Busan, the tour will explore the old downtown, including Baekje Hospital, Texas Street and Chinatown. It will examine how architectural heritage is being used as a cultural resource for the region.
The final tour, on December 12 in Daejeon, will visit the former Chungnam Provincial Office, the former official residence of the Chungnam provincial governor and Daejeon Temi Literary Museum, among other sites. Participants will explore how spaces once used for administration and power have been transformed into spaces for citizens.
All tours run on Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. 40 people will be accepted per session on a first-come, first-served basis, and participation is free. Details, including how to apply, are available on the Docomomo Korea website.

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter