Seoul museum traces 140 years of Protestantism in Korea – The Korea Times

As 2025 marks the 140th anniversary of Protestantism's arrival in Korea, a new public museum dedicated to the history of the faith opened in Seoul.
The Korea Christian History and Culture Museum held an opening ceremony Tuesday at its new building at the foot of Mount Bukhan in northwestern Seoul. The facility was partially funded by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
In 1885, American Presbyterian missionary Horace Underwood (1859-1916) and American Methodist missionary Henry Appenzeller (1858-1902) arrived in Korea. The Korean Protestant church community regards that year as the beginning of Protestant Christianity in the country.
“This museum is a cultural space that transcends denominations and encompasses the entire history of Korean Christianity,” said Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church and chairman of the Korea Christian History and Culture Foundation. “As it was funded by taxpayers' money, we will make sure it remains a public space open to all citizens.”
It is the first Christian museum in Seoul supported with public money. The city also has Christian museums at Soongsil University, Yonsei University and Ewha Womans University.
The new museum’s permanent exhibition, themed "Moments When Faith Was Beautiful," features books, Bibles, brochures, photographs, ornaments and other artifacts representing different periods in the history of Korean Christianity, from the late 19th century until now.
Among the oldest items on display is a copy of the Korean-language New Testament published in 1887. It was translated by John Ross (1842-1915) — a Scottish missionary based in China who traveled to Korea — with the help of Korean Christians.
At the time, hanja (Chinese characters) dominated written communication among the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty's intellectual and elite classes, while hangeul (the Korean alphabet) was widely disregarded. The existence of a Korean-only translation suggests that Western missionaries were targeting ordinary Koreans, focusing their mission on spreading the word of God beyond the educated elite.
Two books written about Korea by Canadian missionary James Scarth Gale on display at the Korea Christian History and Culture Museum in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Se-jeong
The exhibition also offers glimpses into the lives of Christian missionaries in the late Joseon era. Artifacts include a typewriter manufactured by the Underwood Typewriter Company, a handwritten note believed to be from Underwood's Korean language studies and books about Korea written by Underwood, Ross and Canadian missionary James Scarth Gale (1863-1937). Visitors can also see a copy of The Korean Repository (1898), the first English-language magazine about Korea, which ran from 1892 to 1899, and a copy of the first Korean-English dictionary, compiled by Gale.
A brochure for the 1974 Seoul crusade, on display at the Korea Christian History and Culture Museum, shows a photo of the prominent American evangelist Billy Graham, right. Korea Times photo by Kim Se-jeong
Later sections show how Korean Christianity engaged in social movements after liberation from Japan and after the 1950-53 Korean War. One 1960s poster urges couples to obtain marriage certificates, warning: “If you don’t register as a couple, you are no longer married.”
A brochure from the famous 1974 Billy Graham crusade in Seoul is also displayed. The event, led by the prominent American evangelist (1918-2018), reportedly drew around 1.1 million people to Yeouido.
The museum’s second floor hosts two special exhibitions: “To. Joseon From. Korea,” highlighting Korean believers who had close relationships with Western missionaries, and “A Very Ordinary Weekend,” exploring the idea of Biblical rest and modern life.
As part of its opening celebration, the museum is offering free admission until February next year.

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