A special place for World Heritage in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea

A salon has been a place where the spirt of dialogue is expressed and new art is introduced. Now, in this classic space, we bring you the beauty of World Heritage through the state-of-the-art media displays.

At the OWHC-AP, we cordially invite you to the Salon Heritage for dialogues on and understanding of World Heritage.

The city of Gyeongju, which the OWHC – AP Regional Secretariat has located since 2013, has now opened an extraordinary space exclusively dedicated to the presentation of World Heritage. Inspired by a salon, which flourished in Europe during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the Salon Heritage is where World Heritage is presented and promoted.

The mayor of the city of Gyeongju, Mr. Nakyoung Joo, who also sits in the Board of Directors at the OWHC, has been actively involved in supporting the operations of the OWHC-AP Regional Secretariat. He saw a crucial need for a space where World Heritage can be introduced to the wider public. Under his direction and management, the OWHC-AP Regional Secretariat embarked on a project that lasted for a year, which resulted in the opening of the Salon Heritage on November 15^th,, 2021.

The Salon Heritage has many stories to tell. Once you walk into the venue, you will be greeted with the World Heritage bookshelves. Placed on them are photo books on urban tourism with information about OWHC member cities’ World Heritage and publications by the OWHC-AP. Under the cozy light, you are greeted with the elegance of the World Heritage Sites.

(Please donate your photo books of the World Heritage Sites of your cities to the Salon Heritage of the OWHC-AP Regional Secretariat, to the following address: 2F, GEM Center, Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, 614 Gyeonggam-ro, City of Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea 38118)

Imagine all the top-quality media displays in this classical space. On the transparent screen floats air balloons with quizzes about World Heritage on them. When you touch with your finger one of the balloons that has asks an interesting question about World Heritage. The balloon will land on a related city to the quiz, and the answer to the question will be presented to you. It is interactive contents that can help you become more knowledgeable about the World Heritage Sites.

On a huge wall screen, you find a colorful animation created in the icons of metaverse. In its 2-minute videos, you will find the background of the birth of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and basic information about World Heritage, followed by the World Heritage Sites of Gyeongju in exquisite videos and graphics. The Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage will mesmerize you even without any wordy explanation.

In the media tunnel, you will discover fantastic visual experiences in on a stunning display. You will feel that the moving images – ranging from the birth of humanity, the footsteps of World Heritage, and the coexistence of cities and heritage – look like shooting stars in front of you. The Sunrise and the sunset at the summit of Namsan Mountain in the Gyeongju Historic Areas will provide you with a relieving moment of escapism from your stressful everyday lives.

In addition to all these high-quality presentations, we plan to present you the World Heritage of OWCH-AP member cities in a beautiful video in 2022. The OWHC-AP also plans to run various cultural programs at the Salon Heritage. It will serve as the stage where the history and values of World Heritage and “World Heritage Youth Forum,” an ambitious project to cultivate youth. All these programs will be both online and offline, so that all the member cities of the OWHC can participate for shared joy.

Salon Heritage is located next to the Gyeongju Expo Memorial Center in the Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the city. As you walk from the Expo Memorial Hall to Salon Heritage, please take a moment to enjoy the outdoor gallery of World Heritage Sites.

For a video of the Salon Heritage, please click here.