National Agricultural Museum opens special exhibition on Korea's flower-farming history

The National Agricultural Museum is opening a special exhibition exploring the history and culture of Korea's flower-farming industry.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the National Agricultural Museum announced Monday that the exhibition, titled "Flowers of Everyday Life, Bloomed by Hand," will run from Tuesday through Oct. 5 in the museum's special exhibition hall.

The show features 115 flower-related artifacts collected and preserved by the museum, including books, ceramics and paintings. The arrangement highlights the cultural significance of flowers and the history of Korea's floriculture industry.

The exhibition is divided into three parts. The first, "Staying Close," introduces records of flower management in Joseon-era royal palaces and the garden culture of the period. The second, "Blooming Within the Fence," examines the symbolism and everyday uses of flowers in traditional life. The third, "Bloomed by Hand," traces how flower culture spread to the general public and expanded into a lifestyle and commercial industry.

To mark the exhibition, the museum has partnered with the Korea Floriculture Self-Reliance Fund Council and the Korea Lily Producers Central Federation to incorporate fresh domestically grown flowers into the displays.

In addition, the museum's recently renovated gift shop will sell cultural products tied to the exhibition as well as merchandise inspired by the museum's artifacts.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 5 and is open daily except Mondays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free admission.

Jeon Han-young, director general of the Rural Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said the ministry would actively support efforts to help the public "enjoy the diverse values and appeal of agriculture in a more accessible way."