Seodaemun Prison History Hall Guide (2026): Hours, Tickets & Audio Tour

The weather these days is cool and crisp, but also a bit chilly at times,

making it absolutely perfect for a day out.

When the weather's great for an outing, many people head to the suburbs of Seoul,

but November is also a wonderful time to visit the Independence Gate (독립문) and Seodaemun Prison History Hall (서대문형무소)

with kids to learn about history.

The Seodaemun Prison History Hall (서대문형무소 역사관) in Seoul is a modern-style prison,

but more importantly, it's a place where we can encounter history that we must never forget.

It's a place that every Korean citizen should visit at least once,

and it's especially recommended for visits with children.

I'll share a review of visiting Seodaemun Prison History Hall, along with information on reservations, audio guides,

and parking.

Learn about the Seoul All-Pass Self-Tour Guide

Up to 2 people can listen together.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall, located in Seodaemun-gu (서대문구), Seoul, is past the Independence Gate, and

as you walk up, you'll start to see the statue of patriot Yu Gwan-sun.

The path to Seodaemun Prison History Hall is partly landscaped as a park,

making it lovely for a short stroll, and I imagine it will look even more stunning when the leaves change color.

Listening to the self-guided audio tour, which I've been using since my trip to Europe,

while exploring Seodaemun Prison History Hall, I discover things I never knew before. The ability

to enjoy the tour at my own pace is also very appealing, which is why I often use audio guides.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall Self-Guided Audio Tour

There's parking available right next to Seodaemun Prison History Hall, one of Seoul's must-visit spots.

You can park at two locations: Seodaemun Independence Park (서대문독립공원) parking lot and Seodaemun-gu Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library (서대문구립이진아기념관).

Seodaemun Prison History Hall Parking Fees

Passenger Cars: ₩300 (~$0) per 10 minutes

80% discount for disabled persons and national merit recipients

50% discount for compact cars, multi-child families, low-emission vehicles

30% discount for families with two children

Seodaemun Prison History Hall has specific closing days, so make sure you know them before you go!

Viewing Hours

March ~ October: 09:30 ~ 18:00

November ~ February: 09:30 ~ 17:00

(Ticket sales and entry close at 16:30)

Closing Days

January 1st, Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) holidays

Every Monday (if Monday is a public holiday, then the next day)

Admission Fees

Adults: ₩3,000 (~$2)

Youth, Military: ₩1,500 (~$1)

Children: ₩1,000 (~$1)

(Free admission: Disabled persons, national merit recipients, ages 65 and over)

Group Admission (20 people or more)

Adults: ₩2,400 (~$2) (₩600 (~$0) discount)

Youth, Military: ₩1,200 (~$1) (₩300 (~$0) discount)

Children: ₩800 (~$1) (₩200 (~$0) discount)

Eligibility for Admission Discounts

Seodaemun-gu residents: 50%

Military personnel (sergeant or below, in uniform): 50%

In-district schools (elementary, middle, high) 50%

Natural History Museum ticket holders 20%

At Seodaemun Prison (서대문형무소), one of the best places to visit with kids in Seoul in November,

instead of just wandering around after buying your admission ticket,

it was much better to listen to a guided tour.

At the Seodaemun Prison History Hall (서대문형무소 역사관), there are both free and paid guided tours,

including docent-led tours, regular Sunday tours, and sign language tours for the disabled.

However, docent-led tours require a reservation at Seodaemun Prison,

while regular Sunday tours can be enjoyed without a reservation.

Once you enter Seodaemun Prison, the buildings are all different across a very large site,

so using a self-guided audio tour might not be a bad idea in such cases.

If you utilize the advantages of a self-audio guide, you'll find it incredibly helpful.

Seodaemun Prison Self-Guided Audio Tour

Seodaemun Prison is a modern prison built by Japanese imperialism.

It was used as a prison for 80 years, from 1908 until its closure in November 1987.

During the Japanese colonial period, many independence activists were imprisoned here, and after liberation,

it became a historical site where democracy activists who resisted the dictatorial military regimes were confined.

This place changed names several times, being called Gyeongseong Gaol (경성감옥), Seodaemun Gaol (서대문감옥), Seodaemun Penitentiary, Seoul Penitentiary (서울형무소),

Seoul Prison (서울교도소), and Seoul Detention Center (서울구치소).

And if you look at the location in the photo above, it's structured so that a single guard

could oversee three areas at once.

Just seeing Seodaemun Prison helps us remember history, but

as you walk through and listen to the explanations, you'll feel an even greater sense of patriotism.

What was most shocking was the "Wall Torture" (벽관 고문),

where prisoners were left for three days and two nights in a narrow space of barely 0.5 pyeong, unable to move and given nothing.

They have a spot where you can experience it, and while maybe a small child wouldn't notice,

an adult entering will immediately feel the oppressive confinement,

making you realize just how brutal this place was.

Besides that, there's the execution ground outside, and next to it, the fallen tree known as the "Weeping Willow" (통곡의 미루나무),

which fell during a typhoon in 2020 and is preserved as it is.

It's said that independence fighters, as they were dragged to the execution ground,

clung to the tree and wept bitterly out of anguish for not being able to see their country's independence,

which is why it came to be called the Weeping Willow.

As a place to visit with kids in Seoul in November, this is somewhere I felt we must learn history and

never forget.

I highly recommend that all of you visit this place at least once,

and with a self-guided audio tour, I hope you can truly learn history at your own pace.

Learn about the Self-Guided Tour Seoul All Pass

Up to **two people** can listen together.

Seodaemun Prison Self-Guided Audio Tour