Crowds visit Gyeongju museum for Silla gold exhibition

During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which concluded Nov. 1, the National Gyeongju Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, served as the site for high-profile bilateral meetings, including South Korea-U.S. and South Korea-China summits. The museum was crowded early Nov. 2 as visitors flocked to see the special exhibition “Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige,” which opened that day and features all six surviving Silla gold crowns.

Visitors began arriving before dawn, and by the 10 a.m. opening, long lines had formed in what local media described as an “open-run” rush. Because advance reservations were not accepted, the museum limited attendance to 2,700 people for the day." Some visitors left home as early as 4 a.m. to see the gold crowns," a museum official said. "To ensure safety, we decided to admit only a limited number of people at a time."

The exhibition drew extra attention after President Lee Jae-myung presented a model of the Cheonmachong gold crown to U.S. President Donald Trump at their Oct. 29 summit. Trump, reportedly pleased with the gift, instructed his aides to handle it with special care and had it loaded onto Air Force One. Reports say the model is expected to be displayed at the White House. The crown is estimated to contain about 130 million won worth of gold.

Public interest has grown because this is the first time all six Silla gold crowns, made over roughly a century in the fifth and sixth centuries, have been brought together for a single exhibition. The show will run through Dec. 14.


김태언 기자 beborn@donga.com