The Myeongwon Museum at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung-ryeol) is hosting a special exhibition of its collection for the second semester of the 2026 academic year, titled “Through Time, Once Again: Records and New Journeys of Artifacts Unearthed by the Kookmin University Museum,” at the Haeongheon Special Exhibition Hall from Thursday, October 8, through Thursday, November 5.
 
This exhibition was organized to introduce the survey activities and artifact recovery processes of the Kookmin University Museum during the 1970s–1990s, based on its surface survey data from that period, and to shed light on the journey of artifacts stored in the repository—from research and exhibition to transfer to the state or local museums.
 
In particular, the exhibition is organized around materials collected through the museum’s past survey activities and uncataloged artifacts, allowing visitors to explore the various roles a university museum plays—from the classification and preservation of artifacts to their academic utilization. It reexamines the historical and academic value of the collection items that had been stored in the repository and introduces how survey data leads to new research and exhibitions.
 
The exhibition is divided into three parts. Part 1, “Artifacts Arrive at the Museum,” examines the survey activities and artifact recovery processes of the time through panels documenting past surface survey sites and four artifacts unearthed during those surveys. Part 2, “Artifacts Sleeping in the Storage Room,” introduces the classification process of survey data and unprocessed artifacts from that period, while highlighting the management and preservation of the museum’s collection.
 
Part 3, “Reencountering the Artifacts,” showcases examples of the research and utilization of academic artifacts through survey data and a white porcelain grave marker unearthed at the Musugol Site. Through this, the exhibition aims to illustrate how artifacts stored in the repository acquire new value by being utilized in various ways, such as academic research and exhibitions.
 
This special exhibition is significant in that it reflects on the Kookmin University Museum’s survey and research activities and reexamines the value of its long-held collections. Furthermore, through various examples—including state-owned artifacts and academic artifacts—the museum plans to expand the scope of utilization for university museum collections and explore future collaboration opportunities with relevant institutions.
 
Meanwhile, this special exhibition is hosted and organized by Kookmin University’s Myeongwon Museum and will run at the Haeongheon Special Exhibition Hall through November 5.

△ Photo: Poster for the special exhibition “Through Time, Once Again” featuring works from the collection of Kookmin University’s Myeongwon Museum