From a tree to a polished surface
Lacquer is more than the dark shine of a bowl or chest. The process begins with sap collected from a lacquer tree and transformed through careful craft into a protective and decorative finish. Since 2020, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art has researched lacquer-producing regions in Korea, bringing materials and craft practices together in its exhibition.
Reading small traces of the past
The museum highlights evidence of early lacquer on a bronze dagger excavated at Jeongnyang-dong in Yeosu. Follow the steps from gathering the sap to preparing and applying it. The display is an opportunity to ask how natural materials and skill helped people make objects meant to last.
Essential visiting details
The exhibition From Lacquer Tree to Lacquerware is listed for 27 June 2025–31 December 2026 in the Craft Archive Room, 3rd floor, Exhibition Building 2, Seoul Museum of Craft Art, 4 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Crucially, this room operates Tuesday–Friday 10:00–17:30, with a break 11:30–13:00, last entry 17:00 and closure on public holidays. Visitors register at an entry kiosk because the room is an open-storage collection. General museum admission is free, although some separately hired exhibitions may charge. It is near Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1; there is no general visitor car park. Recheck any temporary closure before arriving.