The Art Institute of Chicago will present 'Korean National Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art,' the museum's largest Korean art exhibition in forty years, from March 7 to July 5, 2026. The show will feature 140 works, including 22 officially designated National Treasures or Treasures, spanning from the 6th century to the late 20th century.
The exhibition is significant as it showcases the landmark Lee Kun-Hee Collection, a donation of over 23,000 works from the Samsung chairman's family to the Korean government in 2021. This presentation offers a comprehensive view of Korean artistic heritage, made possible by a single, transformative philanthropic act that preserved a vast range of historical and modern works for public access.