Sketches at Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, Seoul

Acrocanthosaurus and Sperm Whale on the Central Hall, pen and watercolor, 36 x 51cm

Earth Environment Hall on the 3rd floor, pen and watercolor, 36 x 51cm

Diversity of Terrestrial Life at Life Evolution Hall, pen and watercolor, 36 x 51cm

Central Hall of the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, pen and watercolor, 

36 x 51cm

a quick sketch at the Central Hall on the 1st floor, pen, 29.6 x 42cm

surrounding landscape seen through the window on the Central Hall, pencil, 29.6 x 42cm

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The weather became warmer than early February, but it's still cold outside. We usk Seoul members met at an interesting museum for urban sketching last weekend. Seodaemun Museum of Natural History is the first public museum of natural history in Korea, located in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Opened in 2003, the museum displays the origins of life on earth through a variety of real specimens of minerals, rocks and fossils, and through models, including life size models of dinosaurs, from all over the world. 

A few years ago I visited the famous museum several times and sketched a lot of exhibits in my spare time. The museum was crowded with children, their parents and student group at all time. Most of all, the exhibits of dinosaurs drew attention from visitors overwhelmingly. I sketched and colored the dynamic scenes inside the museum and some exhibits including large dinosaur skeletons with an "inquiring mind".

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서대문 안산기슭의 공공 자연사박물관은 산 교육장이자 가족쉼터로서 일품입니다.

지구의 탄생부터 생명체의 기원, 인간과 자연의 관계를 생생하고 실감나게 재현한 모습을

무궁무진하게 스케치하며 탐구할 수 있는 "전천후 소재박물관"이라 하겠습니다. 

Sketches at the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History

Acrocanthosaurus at center hall, pen and watercolor, 27.5x17.5cm

Ammonite on the ceiling

village scene seen through the window at foodcourt

stuffed roe deer

model of mammoth

Though it goes to March it was not easy to sketch outdoor. The museum was big and easy to go up and down stairs by ramp and elevator. The museum went crowded as time went by with families and students. Years ago I visited there for sketching too. So this time I tried to draw different things. Ammonite on ceiling caught my eye. And the roe deer looked good. To draw the animal was not easy even though they don't move but the visitors passed so often hiding my sight. Benches were helpful. And the volunteers and keepers didn't say any looking at sketchers. It was thankful. 

Much thanks for all the participants in spite of cold weather!

서대문 자연사 박물관은 어린이 들이 좋아하는 공간같습니다. 그러나 거대한 공룡의 뼈나 마모스등을 그려보는 좋은 공간입니다. 오늘도 날씨가 차가왔는데 참여하신 스케쳐 여러분들께 감사드립니다! 

some sketches at Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, Seoul

 Acrocanthosaurus on the Central Hall, pen and watercolor

Central Hall of the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, pen and watercolor

another sketch viewed from the 2nd floor, pencil and watercolor

Allosaurus at Dinosaur Park (공룡공원), pen and watercolor

Woolly Mammoth (맘모스), at Life Evolution Hall (생명진화관), 

pencil and watercolor

Sharks of Korea (한국의 상어) at Life Evolution Hall on the 2nd floor, 

pen and watercolor 

Diversity of Terrestrial Life (육상생물의 다양성) at Life Evolution Hall, 

pen and watercolor

front view of the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, pen and watercolor

neighboring buildings of the museum, pen and watercolor

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( pen and watercolor, 21 x 29.6cm sketchbook )

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Seodaemun Museum of Natural History is located in Seodaemun-gu in Seoul, Korea. The museum was planned and constructed by the Seodaemun District Office. After 6 years of planning and construction, the museum opened on July 10th, 2003. The purpose of the foundation is to preserve, to study and to exhibit geological and biological records about the local environment. The museum is organized around three main themes over three floors, and displays the history of nature and life vividly through various real specimens of minerals, rocks, and fossils (including dinosaurs, animals, and insects from all over the world), but also displays them with up-to date display technologies such as models, dioramas, and stereopsis displays.

These days I visited the museum with pleasant surroundings and enjoyed exciting sketch time in and out of the museum, appreciating the precious natural assets.

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서대문 자연사 박물관은 도심 주변의  안산 기슭에 위치한 쾌적한 시민 휴식처입니다.

자연사의 문화체험과 교육을 통해 생명의 소중함과 함께 변화해가는 지구환경의 모습을 

생생하게 드로잉하며 입체적으로 느낄 수 있는 스케쳐들의 좋은 작업현장이라 하겠습니다.

sketches at Seodaemun Museum of Natural History, Seoul

Seodaemun Museum of Natural History,

pen, pastels, A 4

goshawk, pen, sepia conte, A 4

loggerhead, pen, sepia conte, A 4

kinds of sharks, pen, pastels, sepia conte, A 4

dad waiting for his family in museum

sepia conte, pastels, A 4

Yesterday was a sunny and hot day after a rainy Saturday. I visit museums on hot or cold days usually. By MERS infection people constrain to visit public places or to meet indoors. But I could see lots of families with their children here and there in the museum. The parents were eager to explain about the exhibited stuffs ranging from old stones, dinosaur, birds, sharks and so on. I sketched with dry materials such as pen, conte, pastels. The first street scenery with the museum was drawn before entering it. It was right this time too that I could know it more when I observe it for drawing.

지난 토요일에 시원한 비가 온 후의 일요일은 쾌청했어요. 작년 9월에 한 번 가서 공룡을 그린 적이 있었던 서대문 자연사 박물관에 다시 갔습니다. 입구에서 체온을 재고는 평시와 같이 이곳 저곳을 관람하면서 스케치했구요. 우려와 달리 가족 단위의 방문객은 생각보다 많았어요. 오후 들면서 갑자기 많아지기까지 했어요. 지난 번에는 공룡만 그렸는데 이번에는 이런 저런 풍경들도 그려보았어요. 비탈을 올라가야하지만 내려보는 풍경도 좋고 그릴 것도 많아서 좋은 시간 보냈습니다.

sketching a model of Acrocanthosaurus

skeleton of Acrocanthosaurus exhibited in main hall

24 x 32 cm

The Seodaemun museum of Natural History opened on July 10, 2003 locates near the Seodaemun-gu district office and managed by the office. Today I visited it and looked around from first to third floor. There were lots of models and fossils of natural history. I watched a short 3 D movie about the birth of earth wearing 3 D eyeglasses. Stuffed animals were shown in separate rooms. and I could see the steps of human evolution. Groups of children from kindergarten kept coming and going. Though I like to sketch the life animals in zoo I felt it would be very helpful to sketch such taxidermied specimen too. The surrounding scenery was good to take rest in nice weather. 

오늘 서대문구 연희동에 있는 '서대문 자연사 박물관'을 방문하고 스케치도 한점 했어요. 그림그리는 시간보다 그곳에서 봉사하시는 분과 더 이야기를 많이 했습니다. 개관한지 10년이 넘었는데 처음 가보았다는 것이 부끄러우리만치 볼만했어요. 어린아기들이 많이 왔구요. 그렇게 자연사를 눈으로 보고 자라는 어린이들이 나중에 인류사회를 위해 훌륭한 역할을 하기를 바라보았습니다. 소풍삼아 다음에도 가보고 싶습니다.