Joseon Royal Treasures Through the Eyes of Master Artisans

National Palace Museum of Korea Launches "In-depth Investigation of Royal Heritage in the Storage Facility"

Joseon Royal Bridge / National Palace Museum of Korea.

The National Palace Museum of Korea will host the "In-depth Investigation of Royal Heritage in the Storage Facility" at its open storage area for two days starting August 19, 2026. This event offers master artisans designated as holders of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in various fields of crafts an opportunity to closely examine royal heritage artifacts, considered the pinnacle of craftsmanship.

This year, nine master artisans who applied in advance have been selected, representing fields such as traditional wooden furniture (somokjang), metal ornamentation (duseokjang), ox horn inlay (hwagakjang), mother-of-pearl inlay (najeonjang), and lacquerware (chiljang). Together with curators and other experts, they will examine 20 items from the museum's collection, including artifacts such as the Red Mother-of-pearl Chest, Hwagak Box, Joseon Bridge, and the Name Plaque for the Investiture of Crown Prince Jeongjo. The selected artisans will also participate in in-depth discussions, sharing and debating perspectives across these diverse craftsmanship disciplines.

A representative from the National Palace Museum of Korea stated, "We hope this initiative not only contributes to the preservation, transmission, and development of intangible cultural heritage in crafts but also inspires new creative work by master artisans."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.