Places · Arboretums · Korea Forest Service
National Arboretums and Gardens: hours, closing days and admission
Korea's national arboretums are research collections that happen to be open to the public, and the most important of them caps visitor numbers to protect the forest. At the Korea National Arboretum at Gwangneung, arriving by car requires a booking made up to 30 days ahead — but arriving on foot or by bus needs no booking at all.
Hours, closing days and admission, side by side
Checked against each institution's own visitor pages on 2026-09-22. Fees and hours change — follow the official link in the table before you travel.
| Place | Region | Hours | Closed | Admission | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korea National ArboretumKorea Forest Service | Gyeonggi | April–October 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last admission 5:00 pm) | Mondays, 1 January, and over the Seollal and Chuseok holidays | Adults KRW 1,000, teenagers KRW 700, children KRW 500. Free if you are 6 or under, 65 or over, disabled, a person of national merit or from a family with several children. Free on Culture Day, the last Wednesday of each month | Official · Book |
| Korean National Garden Culture CenterKorea Arboreta and Gardens Institute · Korea Forest ServiceDamyang · a garden-culture institute opened in September 2025 with 15 themed gardens in four zones; parking is limited to about 20 spaces | Jeonnam | March–October 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last entry 5:00 pm) · November–February 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (last entry 4:00 pm) | Mondays, 1 January, the Seollal and Chuseok days themselves, and maintenance periods | Free until further notice (classes and workshops are charged) | Official · Book |
About National Arboretums and Gardens
The Korea National Arboretum sits on the Gwangneung forest north of Seoul, protected as a royal burial ground from the fifteenth century and never logged since, which makes it one of the best-preserved temperate forests in East Asia and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Sejong National Arboretum, newer and flatter, is built around a large glasshouse in the administrative capital.
Admission is cheap everywhere — a thousand won or so for an adult, free on Culture Day at the end of each month. The constraint is not price but capacity: Gwangneung's daily visitor cap and vehicle quota exist to keep the old forest intact, and unbooked cars are turned round at the gate rather than parked elsewhere. The institute that runs the Sejong, Baekdudaegan and Korean Native Plants arboretums opened a fourth site in September 2025, the Korean National Garden Culture Center at Damyang in the south-west, and it charges nothing for admission or parking until further notice.
- Vehicle booking opens at midnight Korean time exactly 30 days before your visit.
- Arriving on foot or by bus sidesteps the booking system entirely.
Arboretums, one by one
Names that link go to our visiting guide; the rest go straight to the institution's own site.
- Korea Forest Service · GyeonggiKorea National ArboretumApril–October 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last admission 5:00 pm) · Mondays, 1 January, and over the Seollal and Chuseok holidays · Adults KRW 1,000, teenagers KRW 700, children KRW 5001 event on
- Korea Forest Service · JeonnamKorean National Garden Culture CenterMarch–October 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last entry 5:00 pm) · November–February 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (last entry 4:00 pm) · Closed Mondays, 1 January, the Seollal and Chuseok days themselves, and maintenance periods · Free until further notice (classes and workshops are charged) · Damyang · a garden-culture institute opened in September 2025 with 15 themed gardens in four zones; parking is limited to about 20 spacesBookOfficial
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book to visit an arboretum?
At the Korea National Arboretum, only if you are bringing a car. Vehicle entry is capped and fully pre-booked, opening at midnight 30 days before your date. Arriving on foot or by public transport needs no reservation, which is the part most visitors do not realise.
How much does it cost?
About KRW 1,000 for an adult at the Korea National Arboretum, less for teenagers and children, and free for under-6s and over-65s. Admission is also free on Culture Day, the last Wednesday of every month.
What is actually special about Gwangneung?
The forest at its centre was a protected royal burial ground from the fifteenth century and was never logged, so it is genuine old-growth temperate woodland rather than planting. UNESCO lists it as a Biosphere Reserve, and the visitor cap is what keeps it that way.
When is the best time to go?
Late October for the colour, late April and May for the flowering, and a weekday in either case. Autumn weekend bookings go quickly once the window opens, and the arboretum is closed on Mondays year-round.
Pages checked: kna.forest.go.kr · kna.forest.go.kr · www.koagi.or.kr