Gyeongju National Museum

The bronze Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, cast in 771 and one of the largest bells surviving from ancient Korea, hangs in its own pavilion on the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum (국립경주박물관). It sets the tone for a museum devoted to the Silla kingdom, which ruled from Gyeongju for nearly a thousand years and left its capital full of royal tombs, temples and palace sites.

Indoors, the galleries trace Silla's history and art through pottery, Buddhist sculpture and the gold work excavated from royal burial mounds, including elaborate gold crowns hung with jade ornaments. A separate gallery shows finds from Wolji Pond, the former palace garden nearby, giving a sense of daily life at court. Stone pagodas, lanterns and carved Buddhas fill the outdoor grounds.

The collection grew out of efforts to preserve local antiquities in the early twentieth century and moved to its present site in 1975. It suits anyone exploring Gyeongju's historic sites, many of which lie within easy reach.