국립민속박물관 어린이박물관 20년의 전개와 의의 : 전시, 교육, 정책적 함의를 중심으로

Abstract

This study examined the evolution of exhibitions and educational practices at the Children’s Museum of the National Folk Museum of Korea over the two decades since its opening in 2003. Based on its results, this paper proposes policy implications and development directions. The Children’s Museum was the first national museum in South Korea exclusively dedicated to children. It integrates folk culture exhibitions, experience, and education from a child-centered perspective. This study was conducted as a literature review and case analysis, focusing on major exhibitions, educational programs, and changes in the museum’s operational structure from its establishment to 2024. The museum designs exhibitions through a storytelling-based experiential approach grounded in the everyday life and imagination of Korean folk culture by merging artifacts and digital media. The museum’s educational programs integrate play and learning and include curriculum-linked activities, after-school programs, and multicultural and outreach initiatives. As a public cultural education institution, the museum developed multicultural education kits and inclusive education for children with disabilities, hospitalized students, and students from low-income families. This study showed that the Children’s Museum has evolved from merely preserving folk traditions to reinterpreting them through contemporary sensibility and creative learning, thus becoming a space for social inclusion and sustainable cultural education. Nevertheless, the museum has three areas for growth: the exhibition renewal cycle, enhancing digital content quality, and strengthening links between exhibitions and education. This study showed the significance of establishing a sustainable cultural education model grounded in folk imagination for further development of the Children’s Museum.