The number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea last year topped 6.5 million for the first time on record.
According to the National Museum of Korea on Jan. 2, the total number of visitors to the museum last year was 6,507,483, up 71.7% from the 2024 figure of 3,788,785.
Cumulative visitors surpassed 6 million for the first time on Dec. 11 last year, and about 500,000 more were added in roughly 20 days thereafter.
This is the highest annual visitor count since the museum (then the National Museum) opened in 1945. Even compared with major museums and art museums around the world, it ranks among the very top.
According to 2024 statistics from the art trade publication "The Art Newspaper," an annual visitor level in the 6.5 million range is behind only the Louvre in Paris, France (8,737,050) and the Vatican Museums (6,825,436).
The cumulative number of visitors this year to the National Museum of Korea combined with its 13 affiliated museums nationwide reached 14,773,111.
Director Yoo Hong-jun of the National Museum of Korea said, "This is a result that reflects the public's expectations and interest for us to do even better," adding, "In 2026, we will meet the public's trust with higher-caliber exhibitions and services."