Seoul's Nowon-gu district is rolling out a series of hands-on summer vacation programs for children, teenagers and adults, offering the whole family a chance to learn and explore together during the school break.
The lineup spans nature, science and art, with activities designed around making and doing rather than passive observation. Participants can study insects and create their own specimens, craft glass art pieces, or operate astronomical telescopes — all at venues across the district.
At Buramsan Butterfly Garden, a special exhibition titled "Dragonflies of the World" runs alongside a range of insect ecology programs. The exhibition brings together 84 specimens representing 29 dragonfly species found in Korea and 223 specimens of 24 species from around the world. Accompanying programs include "Buramsan Mini BioBlitz," an outdoor wildlife observation activity, and "Insect Academy — Giant Water Bug Specimen Class," where participants make their own specimens of the giant water bug. Schedules and registration details are available on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's public service reservation website.
Buramsan Art Forêt Gallery is offering a glass craft experience tied to its special exhibition "Even Shadows Have Color." Participants can make sea-glass keyrings and mosaic tea coasters. The program runs four Saturdays from July 25 through Aug. 29, with schedules and reservation information available on Nowon-gu's official blog.
Nowon Astronomical Space Science Center is presenting a "Science-cation" series with programs tailored to different age groups. Children can take part in a stamp tour — exploring the center while completing missions — and a science inquiry class where they learn principles through experiments. A family astronomy class lets participants learn about telescope structure and assemble and operate one themselves, while "Science Movie Day," aimed at teenagers and adults, invites attendees to uncover the science behind films alongside an expert. The stamp tour runs from July 25 through Aug. 16 with on-site registration; schedules and registration details for other programs are available on the center's website.
Nowon Mathematics Culture Center will run a two-week summer vacation program for elementary school students from July 25 through Aug. 7. Comprising six classes in total, the program lets students manipulate and explore a variety of learning tools to grasp mathematical concepts in an engaging, hands-on way. Full details on schedules, registration and fees are available on the center's website.
Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-o said the district had put together programs in nature, science and art "so that children can learn and grow through diverse experiences during the vacation," adding, "I hope this summer becomes one where the whole family can enjoy learning, culture and rest close to their everyday lives."
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