Mission Statement

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art is committed to establishing and preserving a new interpretation and perspective of traditional Korean art, encouraging and presenting new trends in Korean modern art, and displaying international contemporary art that reflects the preeminent values of our time. As part of its commitment, the Museum is very much interested in open-ended exploration, welcoming all who enjoy and understand art, enriching art worldwide, without boundaries.

Core Activities

To implement this commitment, Leeum has established a liaison between Korean and international art that will provide an open forum that allows audiences to access information, and create a cultural environment for a diverse public, from artists and scholars, to those who wish to cultivate their aesthetic sensibilities. Within a creative environment dedicated to the development and appreciation of art and culture, Leeum supports the following core activities.

Leeum collects traditional Korean artworks that affirm the unique beauty of Korean art from the past to the present, contemporary Korean artworks that demonstrate the continuing excellence of visual art in Korea, and contemporary art from all over the world. Leeum aspires to collections that enable Korea and other countries to share their ideals beyond borders and barriers of time and space.

Scientific and systematic conservation programs have been put in place by Leeum to preserve its precious artistic heritage for future generations.
These conservation techniques, employed with the utmost care, enable masterworks to survive through the coming years.

Leeum encourages further research and initiative into new interpretations of Korean and international art through comprehensive analyses of artworks as well as through open discussions of relevant concerns. The Museum respects diverse opinions, responding with an open mind to controversial issues presented by an ever-changing world.

Leeum exhibits both traditional and contemporary artworks of unparalleled significance, enabling audiences to experience diverse aesthetic values, and encouraging a deeper understanding and enjoyment of traditional and contemporary art. Exhibitions always reflect the highest standards, affording an opportunity to feel a sense of the past and the present, as well as the significance and emotional impact of art on both the national and international level.

Leeum offers a myriad of highly organized education programs, active courses that explore art practices and nurture new ideas and initiatives with imagination and intelligence. The education programs methodically bring together extensive information of the art world, affirming the importance of art while providing a forum for disseminating a higher degree of artistic knowledge.