A Family-Friendly Visit to the Hahoe World Mask Museum in Andong
Thinking of places to visit in Andong? Hahoe Folk Village immediately comes to mind, right?
This review focuses on the Hahoe World Mask Museum, a great place to visit with kids within Hahoe Village during your Andong trip.
From my visit, I found that while it's excellent for children, the museum is also full of historical significance, sights, and activities, making it a recommended spot for visitors of all ages.
The Hahoe World Mask Museum is located at the entrance of Hahoe Village. It opened in 1995 as Korea's first museum dedicated to masks. It collects and exhibits not only masks used in the Hahoe Byeolsingut Mask Play passed down in Hahoe Village but also various masks from Korea and around the world.
It consists of five permanent exhibition halls and one special exhibition hall, displaying over 3,200 masks from Korea and various regions worldwide. Inside the exhibition halls, there are free experience zones where you can try on masks, enjoy mask trick art, trace mask characters, take photos at photo zones, and collect mask stamps, making the museum experience even more enjoyable and enriching.
When traveling, it's definitely a top priority among places to visit in Andong. It's a great place to visit after touring Hahoe Village, and the total viewing time is about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Amenities
Cafe, Photo Booth, Souvenir Shop
To the left and right of the entrance on the first floor, there is a Mask Bingo Cafe and a (paid) photo booth called Hahoe Four Cuts. There are many traditional costumes, so many visitors take commemorative photos with their children.
The cafe sells shaved ice all year round. People looking for indoor activities in Andong to escape the summer heat visit the museum and then enjoy shaved ice.
These days, national museum goods are a big hit, right? The Hahoe World Mask Museum also has many attractive goods. The souvenir shop is located along the exit path after viewing.
Exhibition Hall 1
Korean Hall
This is the entrance to the Hahoe World Mask Museum exhibition hall. It's where the full-fledged viewing begins.
Exhibition Hall 1 is the Korean Hall, where you can see the mask culture and history that have uniquely developed in each region of Korea.
Here, you can find Hahoe masks, masks from Hwanghae-do Province, Sandae Nori masks from the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions, Yaryu and Ogwangdae masks from the Gyeongnam and Busan regions, and Byeolsingut masks from inland regions.
Do you all remember the Cheoyong mask that often appeared in high school Korean language questions?
Masks from the Gangneung Gwanno Mask Drama, Bangsangsi and Cheoyong masks, and old Sandae masks are also on display.
The diverse and vivid descriptions of the masks make families with children particularly happy.
Exhibition Hall 2
Asian Hall - Masks of Northeast Asia
Exhibition Hall 2, the Asian Hall, displays Chinese Nuo masks and exorcism masks, Japanese Noh masks, Thai Khon masks, and masks from other Asian regions.
Most of them are based on mythology, religion, shamanic rituals, or legends, so they tend to be more colorful and exaggerated in color and shape than Korean masks.
Exhibition Hall 3
Asian Hall - Centered on Southeast Asia
Exhibition Hall 3 displays masks from countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
It also exhibits some from the Maldives, Japan, and Mongolia.
You can see the Chhau masks of India, the Cham masks of Mongolia, and the colorful masks of Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Even I, as an adult, find them a bit unique, but visitors with children seem to enjoy them calmly.
The summer weather is so hot that I thought the indoor viewing at the Hahoe World Mask Museum was satisfying, which was actually a good thing!
And a good point for going with kids! There are many diverse experiences and photo zones in Exhibition Hall 3.
Exhibition Hall 4
Halloween, Venetian Masks
Exhibition Hall 4 is where Halloween and Venetian masks are displayed.
There are many Halloween and European-style masks that are familiar to us, and even I, as an adult, find them beautiful.
Exhibition Hall 5
Africa, South Pacific
Exhibition Hall 5 displays masks from the South Pacific, Africa, and the Americas.
You can see many masks reflecting totemism, with origins in fertility, abundance, and safety.
Special Exhibition Hall
Permanent Exhibition - Andong Hahoe Mask Print Exhibition
This is a special exhibition, and when I visited, it was the Andong Hahoe Mask Print Exhibition.
It was an exhibition that particularly caught my eye with its warm and friendly paintings.
The Andong Hahoe World Mask Museum is an essential course when searching for places to visit in Andong, and it's an indoor viewing option.
It's great to visit with children because there are many experiences and fun elements, and it's enjoyable for anyone, young or old, because of its historical and cultural significance.
I highly recommend visiting the Andong Hahoe World Mask Museum when you travel to Andong!
Have a great trip to Andong, everyone! Bye!
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