Photo SeMA is a public art museum dedicated to photography, exploring its artistic value and cultural impact as one of the most influential media in contemporary society. Through photography-centered exhibitions and programs, the museum fosters dialogue and engagement among creators and audiences of visual culture in Korea and beyond. It is also committed to researching the past, present, and future of photography, while collecting and preserving related works and archival materials.
(photo: ⓒ Yoon, Joonhwan)
The architecture of Photo SeMA begins with a concept that integrates its sense of place, urban context, and the distinctive characteristics of photography. Designed with a focus on reinterpreting photography into architectural language, the building draws inspiration from the form and movement of a camera’s aperture as it opens and closes. Its slightly rotated cubic form captures both a sense of mass and curvature, creating a unique and iconic presence. The exterior facade, composed of layered linear elements, shifts in tone from black to gray depending on the time of day―an architectural embodiment of how photography captures light and time.
Lobby
Entering through an entrance that resembles a slightly lifted and rotated cube, visitors are welcomed into a lobby with a soaring ceiling of 10 meters. As the first space one encounters in the museum, the lobby is open to all and provides easy access to information on the museum’s facilities, exhibitions, and programs.
Cafe Photo SeMA
Open to both museum visitors and local residents, Cafe Photo SeMA offers a relaxing space to enjoy coffee and photobooks. Inspired by key elements of photography―such as frames and RGB colors (red, green, blue)―the furniture and design of the cafe create a distinctive environment where visitors can experience the museum through a different lens.
1,2 Gallery, Medial Hall
1 Gallery on the second floor embodies the building’s graceful curves and structural originality, presenting a gray concrete space with no right angles. Its unique design offers artists and visitors a novel visual experience and boundless inspiration.
3,4 Gallery
Located on the third floor, 3 and 4 gallery consist of white cube spaces. They are designed to accommodate a wide range of photographic works―from traditional black-and-white prints on photographic paper to contemporary photography.
Photo Library
Located on the fourth floor, the Photo Library is a specialized photography library offering books and materials that support a broad understanding of photography, with a focus on the history of Korean photography. The library also hosts divers book-related programs based on its collections.
Hours
Tue–Fri: 10:00–18:00 (Break 12:00–13:00)
Closed on Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays
1, 2Learning Studio
Photo SeMA’s education spaces host a wide range of programs―including lectures, workshops, hands-on sessions, and seminars―designed to deepen the public’s understanding of photography. Open to everyone from children to seniors, these spaces allow participants to directly engage with the photographic medium through experiential learning.
Darkroom
Equipped with specialized equipment and facilities, the darkroom reflects Photo SeMA’s identity as a museum dedicated to photography. It offers a creative space for experimentation through various printing workshops such as gelatin silver prints, cyanotypes, and gum prints.
61, Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea (04515)
82-2-2124-8800