On May 11, the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul opened its entire museum on a Monday—its regular closing day—to host approximately 200 members of multicultural families. The event, organized in partnership with family centers and related organizations across Seoul, included exhibition tours of the permanent antique art collection, the special exhibition "Into Another Space: Synesthetic Environments by Women Artists 1956-1976," and the outdoor Orozco Garden. A curator provided explanations, and a magic show was held in celebration of Family Month. Participating organizations included the Yongsan-gu Family Center, Itaewon and Ichon Global Village Centers, the Mari Shelter for Migrant Women and Mari Community, and the Dongdaemun and Seocho Family Centers.
This event matters because it demonstrates how museums can actively lower barriers to access for underrepresented communities, particularly multicultural families who may face cultural or logistical challenges in visiting art institutions. By opening on a closed day and offering a welcoming, family-friendly program, the Leeum Museum is fostering social inclusion and community bonding through art. The initiative, which has been running since 2022 with about 2,100 cumulative participants, reflects a broader trend in the art world toward equity, outreach, and using art as a common language to bridge cultural divides.