‘Peek a glimpse into the President’s daily life and experience Hanbok’ Blue House’s 10 year-round programs

From next month, a new type of presidential history exhibition will be held at the main building of the Blue House and other places to get a glimpse of the president’s daily life.

Also, in spring and autumn, you can visit the Blue House at night, and in May and October, you can wear hanbok and see Sangchunjae and Green Garden.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 8th that it will introduce 10 annual planning programs including these contents to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the Blue House.

In celebration of the first anniversary of the opening of the Blue House, this program was organized around exhibitions, performances, explorations, and experiences to upgrade the way the Blue House operates tours and uses space.

The Blue House plans to function as a ‘landmark of K-tourism’ by expanding its aspect as a global historical and cultural space sought by people around the world, and greatly strengthening the information system, convenience facilities, and environment to satisfy the curiosity and interest of visitors.

On the 19th of last month, at the Blue House K-Tourism Landmark Proclamation Ceremony held in front of the Blue House Grand Garden, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyun and the participants and hands with the ‘Blue House K-Tourism Landmark’ written on them. They are holding a sign and taking a commemorative photo. From left, writer Bong Dal-ho, broadcaster Julian, book tuber Seo Me-ri, choreographer Aiki, Kang Su-jin, head of the National Ballet, volleyball player Park Jung-ah, volleyball player Bae Yuna, Korean classical musician Park Ae-ri, culture and sports minister Park Bo-gyun, cartoonist Heo Young-man, mountaineer Um Hong-gil, and Choi Su-ji, youth assistant of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. (Photo = Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

A new type of presidential history exhibition

In early June, the exhibition ‘Stories of our presidents, here were the presidents’ is held in the main building with a hipped roof, which used to be the president’s office. It sheds light on individual lives and lifestyles, breaking away from the usual way of exhibiting presidential history, focusing on power and merits and demerits. The presidents’ “symbolic props” are selected through consultation, and storytelling is added to decorate them in a friendly way to the audience.

In the same month, at the Chunchugwan, which used to be a press conference hall, furniture and tableware from the depths of the president’s life will be exhibited.

At the official residence, which was the presidential residence, exhibitions related to the daily life of the president are held. The interior decorations are restored and crafts suitable for the space are reconstructed to welcome visitors from October.

Various exhibitions and special concerts

Outdoor exhibition projects such as pavilions are presented at the Blue House Outdoor Park, Grand Garden, Green Garden, Heliport, and Sojeongwon.

In May and September, K-culture performances such as Korean traditional music, classical music, pop, and opera are also held one after another.

This month, a special concert commemorating the first anniversary of opening will be held in the grand garden, and the National Dance Company of Korea’s ‘Traditional Dignity’ and the National Opera’s ‘K-Opera Gala Hwahap’ will be held at the heliport.

Operation of tree resource exploration

From June, a tree resource tour program under the theme of ‘President’s Trees’ will be held twice a day. The Blue House is a natural arboretum with 50,000 trees of 208 species, and there is a commemorative planting tree that reflects the tastes and interests of past presidents. There will also be an on-site commentary on “The Story of the Presidents’ Trees” by Professor Park Sang-jin, who wrote the book “The Trees of the Blue House.”

◆Disability-friendly expansion

The government’s friendly policy for the underdog continues to be expanded and practiced at the Blue House with exhibitions and performances of ‘Friendly with Disabilities’. Last fall, a special art exhibition for the disabled (Chunchugwan) was held, and an orchestra performance for the visually impaired was held on the Day of the Disabled in April. In September, the ‘A+ Festival for Disabled Artists’ will be held at the Chunchugwan and Heliport.

Participating artists, who have been active in their work despite developmental, physical, and hearing disabilities, are taking commemorative photos while drawing hand hearts in the special exhibition of disabled artists, ‘Into the People, Into Harmony,’ which opened on August 31 last year at the Cheongwadae Chunchugwan in Jongno-gu, Seoul. (Photo = Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

◆ Strengthen preservation and management of the Blue House

Preserve cultural heritage within the precincts, such as Chimryu-gak, Oun-jeong, and ‘The Best Welfare in the World’ (rock inscription), and operate a variety of special commentary programs. In addition to the detailed index survey, which is a follow-up survey of the Blue House area basic survey conducted by the Cultural Heritage Administration last year, the plan is to prepare a plan for protection and management of the site where the relics are distributed through consultation with experts. In order to restore the surface finishing materials of the exterior of the official residence and the floor of Sangchunjae to an optimal state, repairs such as painting work will be completed by September.

Expansion of Blue House Night Walk

The “Blue House Night Walk,” a night viewing program that garnered interest and popularity among visitors, will be greatly increased to 2,000 people per day for a total of three weeks in June and September (from 100 people a day last year) to reach the public. In May and October, visitors can experience Hanbok, where they can make their own wonderful memories with Sangchunjae and Green Garden in the background.

◆Improvement of visitor amenities

It plans to reinforce guide commentary by location so that Blue House visitors can deeply experience the contents of the Blue House, and provide audio commentary to both Koreans and foreigners through QR codes. The 1st floor of the management building will be remodeled, new toilets will be installed, and convenience facilities for viewing will be improved, such as supplementing the deck for the disabled and mobility impaired, and revising and supplementing information boards.