29 September 2011
I happened to visit the Seoul Museum of Chicken Art as part of a Seoul City Tour that included the Presidential Blue House, Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon Hanok Village. Gahoe Road, where the museum is located, also have several small shops selling art and curios. Even the bench by the road is artistic!
The museum displays a private collection of art and craft work related to chickens and aims to share the culture, legends, folklore and lessons related to this bird.
There is a huge figurine of a chicken just inside the entrance to greet you. Many visitors were amazed by it and stopped to take a photo before entering a small room to the left where the art and craft were displayed.
In Korea, the chicken is regarded as an auspicious bird and is a symbol of fertility, wealth and fame.
On the second floor, there are many displays of wooden carvings of chicken decorations called Kokdudaks. These wooden chicken carvings are featured on top of Korean funeral bier, a carriage used to carry the dead body.
Why the chicken?
It is the only animal amongst the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals that has feathers. Hence a messenger between the earth and heaven.
Consider a visit to this museum if you are in the vicinity to visit the Bukchon Hanok Village or are in the Samcheongdong area and have time and money to spare. As this is a small museum, time spent was about 15 minutes for typical visitors, maybe more if you stopped to listen to stories and legends presented by the owner.
Entrance fee is 4000 KRW (adults) and 2000 KRW (child), according to the museum’s website.