Museums Turn into Festival Spots as Gen Z Flocks to Galleries
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Quiet museums are transforming into lively festival venues as people in their 20s and 30s increasingly visit national museums and share experiences on social media. A recent live concert at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul drew over 2,400 mostly 2030 attendees who enjoyed indie and electronic acts, highball drinks, flags and a 'slam zone.' MMCA reports that 20s make up 38% and 30s 26% of visitors this year; it has extended night hours, live shows and talks to attract younger crowds. The National Museum of Korea’s popular 'Gukjungbak Costume Contest' (museum dressing-up contest) will expand nationwide next year, and museum shop brand 'Muzes' (museum merchandise brand) surpassed 30 billion won in annual sales. Special exhibitions, like the Gyeongju National Museum’s Silla gold crowns show, have prompted 'open-run' stampedes, forcing daily visitor limits. Officials say social media-sharing by young visitors is spreading trends to older generations, signaling that 2030 has become the driving force of cultural consumption in Korea.
