Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared

The National Museum of Korea announced the opening of Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared on November 15, 2025, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. It will be the most comprehensive presentation of Korean art in the U.S. in over forty years, showcasing more than 205 works—including 172 pieces from the National Museum of Korea, featuring seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures—alongside major modern and contemporary artworks. Collecting is a timeless passion—an enduring way to preserve memories and share cultural heritage. Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared reflects this spirit through masterpieces donated to the Korean government by the family of Lee Kun-Hee, the late Samsung chairman. Drawn from the National Museum of Korea (NMK) and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), these once-private works now enter public view on a global stage.

For the National Museum of Korea, this exhibition represents a key step in advancing international access to the Lee Kun-Hee Collection. Following the donation of more than 21,000 objects, the National Museum of Korea has published a fourteen-volume catalogue series and made the digitized records of the entire collection available through the online e-Museum platform. The museum has also strengthened its global partnerships through the Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program, further expanding opportunities to share Korean cultural heritage worldwide. These efforts lay the foundation for bringing Korea’s artistic heritage to wider audiences, with the Washington, D.C. presentation serving as a major milestone of this long-term collaboration.

The exhibition explores Korea’s collecting traditions, highlighting key cultural spheres—Confucianism, Buddhism, and royal court culture—that are essential to understanding Korean civilization. Highlights include Jeong Seon’s Clearing After Rain on Mount Inwang, Kim Hongdo’s Sound of Autumn, and the Worin seokbo, noted for its artistry and early use of Hangeul. Organized by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, the exhibition will travel from Washington, D.C. to Chicago and London.

You Hong-June, Director of the National Museum of Korea, noted: “From Washington, D.C. to Chicago and London, this exhibition shares the excellence of Korean art—the true foundation of K-culture—with the world.” For audiences inspired by K-pop and Korean film, Korean Treasures offers a chance to explore the roots of K-culture, connecting past and present through centuries of creativity.