Sejong National Arboretum
If you are looking for a kid-friendly activity near Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Base, you should venture out to Sejong National Arboretum. Located an hour south of Pyeongtaek, this massive arboretum has indoor and outdoor exhibits to explore making it a great spot to visit year round. The three indoor greenhouses include a Mediterranean theme, a tropical theme, and a unique exhibit hall that changes according to the season. Right now, the special exhibit is Harry Potter-themed and was a massive hit with our son.
Inside the Mediterranean themed greenhouse at Sejong National Arboretum
Outside the arboretum has wide open spaces, a traditional Korean garden, a life garden, a children’s playground and a bonsai garden. There is a lot to see; we didn’t get to any of the outdoor exhibits in this visit due to poor air quality and the cooler temperatures.
Per the Korea Herald, the Arboretum was completed in 2020 after nine years of construction and boasts 2,834 species of 1.72 million plants under various themes such as the nation's largest four-season greenhouse, traditional Korean garden, Cheongryujiwon for study, and bonsai garden. The size of the complex spans roughly 90 soccer fields and is Korea’s first urban arboretum.
Plenty of space for the littles to explore!
As winter continues, it was refreshing to walk around in the warm greenhouses surrounded by beautiful, vibrant blooms.
The observation deck in the tropical themed greenhouse
The Harry Potter exhibit in the Special Exhibit hall
All images photographed with the Sony A1 + 35mm f1.8 lens & the 50mm f1.4 lens.
Info
Hours: 9-18:00 March-October, 9-17:00 November-February. Closed Mondays.
Address: 136, Sumogwon-ro, Sejong-si
세종특별자치시 연기면 수목원로 136
Metro: From Seoul Station, take a KTX train to Osong Station [오송역], which is a 45-minute journey. This is the nearest KTX station in proximity to Sejong.
Admission: 5,000 won for adults, 3,000 for kids, children 6 and under free.
