Leeum Samsung Museum of Art

We went out of our way to visit the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, only to find that it really was out of the way. From Hangangjin metro station, you need to keep your eyes peeled for the signs showing which direction to take. It's quite a walk, part of it uphill. I was shocked at the cost of admission (10,000 won for adults; 6,000 won for children 7 to 18) , but since we made it that far, we couldn't possibly turn back tired and hungry.

The three buildings in the complex are interesting by themselves. There are two museums, one for Korean traditional art and the other for modern and contemporary art from Korea and beyond. I had a second encounter with Louise Bourgeois' Maman (two of them, the mother being repaired).

For an additional charge, there is an audio guide (on a Samsung PDA, of course) that automatically loads when you go past an artwork. No photography is allowed in the exhibit areas. The cafe only serves snacks. But the collection is interesting if you have not seen artworks by Nam June Paik, Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst and Matthew Barney.