Cultural institutions tap power of art to heal national fractures

“Museums in Korea are being asked to do more than display relics behind the glass this May. They are being enlisted to help mend a fractured society. Beginning Friday, more than 300 museums and art institutions across the country will take part in the 2026 Museum and Gallery Week, a nationwide cultural festival organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Running through May 31, the event adopts this year’s theme from the International Council of Museums: “Museums Uniting a Divided World.” The slogan reflects an increasingly common expectation that museums should serve not only as custodians of the past, but also as civic spaces where communities can confront conflict, grief and difference. In Korea, where regional divides, generational tensions and political polarization have sharpened in recent years, officials say museums can offer a quieter kind of public square. The festival will unfold through three major programs. One, called “Museum × Meet,” highlights 50 signature objects from institutions nationwide under the theme “Firsts, and Beginnings.” The selecti

Summary generated from the RSS feed of Korea Times Southkorea. All article rights belong to the original publisher. Click through to read the full piece on www.koreatimes.co.kr.