Citrus Museum facts for kids
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| Established | February 25, 2005 |
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| Location | 441 Hyodonsunhwan-ro, Seogwipo, Jejudo |
Welcome to the Citrus Museum (Korean: 감귤박물관), sometimes called the Seogwipo Citrus Museum! This amazing public museum is located in Seogwipo, on Jeju Island, South Korea. It's all about citrus fruits, like oranges and tangerines, which Jeju Island is famous for growing. The museum is run by the city of Seogwipo. It shows off the history, culture, and industry of citrus fruits.
Contents
About the Museum
When the Museum Opened
The Citrus Museum first opened its doors on February 25, 2005. It is found in the Sinhyo-dong area of Seogwipo City. The museum sits at the bottom of a peak called Wollabong.
What You Can Find There
The museum is built on a large hillside. It has many cool things to see and do. You can explore the main museum building. There is also a beautiful artificial waterfall. Kids can enjoy a special citrus learning field. There is even a fun farming recreation area. The museum's goal is to teach everyone about the importance of citrus. It also helps to save the history of these special fruits.
Jeju Island's Citrus Connection
Jeju Island is well-known for its citrus fruits. The Citrus Museum is an important part of this industry. It works with places like the Citrus Research Station. Researchers use the museum to learn about citrus history. They also find out about new technologies and products.
Jeju Island grows most of the citrus eaten in Korea. In 2014, Jeju exported a lot of fruit. About 3,600 tons of fruit were sent to other countries. Some of this fruit went to places like Britain and Canada.
Types of Citrus on Jeju
Jeju Island grows several types of citrus fruits.
- The gamgyul is a type of tangerine. It is grown in open fields.
- The hallabong is a special fruit created for Jeju. It is grown in greenhouses.
- The cheonhaehyang is another type grown in greenhouses.
- The unshu is grown in both fields and greenhouses.
For many years, citrus farming helped families on Jeju Island. It supported their lives and their children's education. Farmers started offering "experience programs" in the early 2000s. Visitors could pick their own fruit. This helped farmers when fruit prices went down. Picking gamgyul fruit is still a big part of the island's culture and economy.
Jeju Island is a special place. UNESCO has named it a World Heritage Site. The Korea Tourism Organization also calls the Citrus Museum one of Jeju Island's "special tourist zones."
Museum Facilities
The Citrus Museum has many exciting areas. You can explore both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Inside the Museum
- Themed Exhibition Hall: This room teaches you about citrus. You can learn about different types of citrus fruits. It also shows how they are grown. You can see where different citrus fruits came from around the world.
- 3D Image Room: Watch cool 3D videos about citrus.
- Folk Relic Exhibition Hall: See old farming tools and household items from Jeju. These items show how people lived long ago.
- Special Exhibition Hall: This area often has new and changing exhibits.
- Interactive Learning: There are fun activities to try. You can use interactive maps. There are even "sniffing stations" to smell different citrus scents.
- Citrus Virtual Experience Room: This room lets you see what real citrus farming is like.
World Citrus Orchard
The World Citrus Orchard is located in greenhouses behind the museum. Staff sometimes call it a "secret garden." It is a favorite spot for visitors. This garden has over 100 kinds of citrus fruit! You can see the biggest and smallest citrus fruits. There are also unusual ones, like the Buddha's hand.
The orchard is divided into different sections:
- Asian Pavilion
- Japanese Pavilion
- American Pavilion
- European Pavilion
- Korean Pavilion
You can also find other subtropical plants here. These include mango, papaya, and guava.
Outside the Museum
Outside the museum, you can enjoy the fresh air.
- Picking Orchard: Depending on the season, you might be able to pick your own citrus fruit!
- Artificial Waterfalls: See beautiful man-made waterfalls.
- Walking Trail: Take a nice walk around the museum grounds.
- Playground: Kids can have fun on the playground.
- Workout Facility: There is a small area for exercise.
International Citrus Expos
Since 2013, the Citrus Museum has helped host the annual Seogwipo World Citrus Pre-Expo. Later, it became the Seogwipo World Citrus Expo. These events are always held in November. They bring together local government and citrus industry groups.
The 2013 pre-expo was about "The Future of Seogwipo and its Globally Renowned Citrus." Visitors could compare Jeju's local citrus with fruits from eight other countries. These countries included the United States, France, China, and Japan.
In 2015, the first big expo, Jeju International Citrus Expo 2015, took place. About 174,000 people visited. The expo talked about "The Future of Jeju, the Worldwide Prestigious Citrus." Its goal was to help Korean oranges compete better around the world. It also aimed to create more chances to export local fruits like the gamgyul.
Events and Programs
The Citrus Museum offers many fun, hands-on programs each month.
- You can learn to make cookies or cakes with citrus.
- Try making mandarin candles or citrus soaps.
- In July 2015, there was a "Citrus and Jelly Making" program.
- In August 2015, visitors made "Tangerine Muffin Making."
Depending on the season, you can pick citrus fruit. You can also taste the fruit or even edible citrus blossoms. More organized events include learning about tree propagation. You can also try tie-dyeing with tangerine peels. Another popular activity is learning the art of making citrus tea. The museum also has a footbath experience.
In December 2014, Seogwipo city promoted the museum. They wanted more visitors to come. They also promoted other nearby places. These included Cheonjiyeon Falls, Jeongbang Falls, Mt. Sanbangsan, and the Yongmeori Coast.
The museum also hosts special art exhibits. From December 2012 to January 2013, artist Koh Jae Man showed his work. His art featured "famous mandarins" as symbols of the island. In 2015, Do-Hee Jeon's "Botanical Art Exhibition" was shown. In 2016, the museum held an exhibition of winning works from a citrus floral fragrance children's literary contest.
Images for kids
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Artificial waterfall by orchard.
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Citrus museum buggy ride.
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View from grounds towards ocean.
