A Rainy Day in Seoul, Indoor Things to Do — From the National Museum of Korea to Deoksugung and Jeongdong Cafés

If you are searching “where should I go in Seoul on a rainy day,” your situation is probably like this. All the outdoor courses have to be called off, yet it feels like a waste of a day to just hop between cafés. You have heard the National Museum of Korea is free, but you are not sure whether you need a reservation or when its closing day is, and it is easy to get confused about whether Deoksugung is open even on Mondays. In this article, we lay out at once an indoor-focused course that is complete with just the subway, along with fees and closing-day info and Jeongdong cafés. Just grab an umbrella and today’s plan is done.

Why This Course Is Special

1. The National Museum of Korea is free for permanent exhibitions, and open until 9 PM The National Museum of Korea, with 9,884 artifacts on permanent display, offers free admission to the permanent exhibitions. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, evening viewing is possible through 09:30–21:00, connecting with after-work and evening schedules.

2. Deoksugung is the cheapest of the palaces and open into the night Deoksugung, with its impressive Western-style Seokjojeon Hall, has an admission fee of just 1,000 won for adults and is viewable from 09:00 to 21:00 (last entry 20:00), making it a rare palace you can see together with the night view.

3. Jeongdong-gil and the Jeongdong café street connect right away Walking along the Deoksugung stone-wall path connects the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung branch, and the Jeongdong café street. On a rainy day, a cup of coffee while watching umbrellas drift by outside the window—a perfect way to close out an indoor course.

4. A route you finish with just the subway Ichon Station → City Hall Station, the entire course is completed in just two stops. No need to wait for a bus holding an umbrella.

Essential Info at a Glance

※ Hours and fees may change, so we recommend checking the official websites of the National Museum of Korea (museum.go.kr) and the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center before visiting.

Recommended Course — From Morning to Evening

Morning (10:00–13:00) — National Museum of Korea It is about a 5–10 minute walk from Exit 2 of Ichon Station (Line 4 · Gyeongui-Jungang Line). Take your time touring the permanent exhibition halls and view until lunchtime. You can also make use of the food and beverage facilities inside the museum.

Afternoon (14:00–17:00) — From Ichon Station to City Hall Station, to Deoksugung After moving to City Hall Station by subway, enter Deoksugung. Look around Junghwajeon Hall and the Jeungjochang, and take photos in front of the Western-style Seokjojeon building. If the rain is light, an umbrella walk along the Seokjojeon corridor is also atmospheric.

Evening (17:00–20:00) — Jeongdong cafés and the night view Come out to the Deoksugung stone-wall path and walk Jeongdong-gil. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung branch, offers free admission on some days during its Wednesday/Saturday evening openings (until 21:00), so fit it into your schedule. Deoksugung has a last entry at 8 PM, but the night view with the lights on is impressive.

Admission to the permanent galleries is free, so the one thing that actually changes that three-hour morning is having someone walk you through it: book the National Museum of Korea docent tour on MyRealTrip at 25,000 KRW. With 9,884 objects on permanent display, a guided route saves you from wandering, and the whole thing is indoors, two subway stops from the Deoksugung half of this course. The fee covers the guide and a wireless receiver only, not entry, which stays free, so bring your own earphones, and note the commentary is in Korean. Check your date against the museum’s first-Monday closures in March, June, September and December before booking. The booking page is in Korean.

Restaurant & Café Picks

• Café “Sarang” (inside Deoksugung): A café inside the palace, a special space where you can rest while looking at the Deoksugung scenery.
• Round & Round (35 Jeongdong-gil): A café with a good Jeongdong-gil view.
• Café Darak · Jeongdong Observatory (15 Deoksugung-gil): A view-point café overlooking Deoksugung at a glance.
• Soeil Baker · La Parma: Well-known for bread and meals in the Jeongdong and Deoksugung-gil area.
• Café drinks generally run about 6,000–9,000 won (varies by establishment).

Transportation, Access, and Tips for Foreign Visitors

• National Museum of Korea: About a 5–10 minute walk from Exit 2 of Ichon Station (Line 4 · Gyeongui-Jungang Line).
• Deoksugung · Jeongdong: City Hall Station (Lines 1, 2) is the shortest to Daehanmun Gate, and Jeongdong-gil is a 1–5 minute walk from City Hall Station.
• If you are going with a foreign friend: The National Museum of Korea provides English, Chinese, and Japanese audio guides and exhibition commentary, making it ideal for foreign tourists. Both the museum and the palace accept card payment, and for the subway, you can travel with a T-money card.
• Making use of the Wednesday/Saturday evening openings (National Museum of Korea until 21:00, MMCA Deoksugung branch until 21:00) lets you link up with a night-view schedule.

Good-to-Know Tips & Precautions

1. Beware of Mondays: Deoksugung is closed every Monday. On Mondays, it is safer to plan your route around the National Museum of Korea.
2. Regular closing days: The museum closes its permanent exhibition hall on the first Monday of March, June, September, and December. The outdoor gardens are open, but avoid these days if your aim is indoor viewing.
3. Tours inside Seokjojeon require advance booking, so book on the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center site.
4. Special exhibitions are separately paid, and some require reservations.
5. If it rains heavily, it is realistic to cut back the Deoksugung outdoor areas and increase the share of museums, art galleries, and cafés. As an alternative, there is also the National Folk Museum of Korea (09:00–18:00, exhibitions free — recommend official re-confirmation).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is admission to the National Museum of Korea really free? The permanent exhibitions are free. Special exhibitions are paid, and fees differ by exhibition.

Q2. Can I enter without a reservation? Permanent exhibitions can be entered without a reservation by recent standards. However, operating policies may change, so check the official website before visiting.

Q3. Is Deoksugung open on Mondays? No, it is not. Every Monday is its regular closing day, and it opens if it falls on a public holiday.

Q4. Where should I leave my umbrella on a rainy day? Museums, art galleries, and cafés generally provide umbrella stands or plastic bags at the entrance. Bringing a folding umbrella is even more convenient.

Q5. Is it worth recommending to foreign tourists? The National Museum of Korea, with free admission and multilingual audio guides, is the top-priority recommended course among Seoul’s indoor attractions.

Wrap-Up — Go Like This Today

• Bring an umbrella and a folding umbrella
• Ichon Station Exit 2 → National Museum of Korea (permanent exhibitions free)
• Move to City Hall Station → visit Deoksugung (adults 1,000 won, last entry 20:00)
• Deoksugung stone-wall path → rest at a Jeongdong café
• If it is Monday, adjust to a museum-focused course instead of Deoksugung
• Before visiting, check closing days on museum.go.kr and the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center official website

You do not need to agonize over where to go in Seoul on a rainy day. A free museum, a 1,000-won palace, and Jeongdong cafés—just ride the subway today and your indoor one-day course is complete.