Located in the historic Bukchon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea, the World Jewellery Museum was established in 2004 by Lee Kang-won, a poet and the wife of a former diplomat. The museum is a testament to Lee’s three decades of extensive international travels and her deep appreciation for diverse cultures. It stands out as one of the few independent museums globally that is dedicated solely to jewelry, offering an expansive showcase of ancient, ethnic, and contemporary pieces. WJM serves as a cultural bridge, connecting visitors to the rich history of jewelry from around the world.

Lee Kang-won’s passion for jewelry was sparked in her childhood by her grandmother, a royal consort to King Kojong, the last monarch of the Choson Dynasty. Although her grandmother’s exquisite jewelry collection was lost during the Korean War, it planted the seeds for Lee’s future endeavors. Lee began her own collection in 1978 in Ethiopia, with a focus on acquiring masterpieces that resonated with her due to their historical and cultural significance. This selective curation laid the groundwork for the World Jewellery Museum, a space crafted to deepen the connection between people through the transcendent power of wearable art.

Since its inception, the museum has become the first in Asia dedicated exclusively to the art of jewelry. It houses over 5,000 pieces collected from Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific during Lee’s travels. Designed by the award-winning Korean architect Kim Seunghoy of KYWC Architects, the museum’s three-story building mirrors the textures and scale of its historic surroundings, blending traditional and contemporary architectural elements. Inside, the museum is organized into nine thematic galleries spread across three floors. These include the “Jewellery Forest,” “Amber Wall,” and “El Dorado Gallery,” which explore universal human experiences such as faith, love, protection, and identity through jewelry.

Elaine Kim, the co-director of the museum, discusses the historical significance of jewelry: “Known to be the oldest evidence of the creative and cultural beginnings of mankind, jewelry is the most instinctive and intimate expression of what it means to be human. For over 30,000 years in all corners of the world, humans made habitual use of jewelry for various purposes: to satisfy the basic instinct for beautification; to pursue magical force in order to gain protection and psychological shield; to show off wealth, social status as well as ethnic identity; to serve as a portable personal bank. Jewelry has been an important witness in the rites of passage as humans mark the milestones in their lives from birth to death.”

Among the museum’s treasured items are significant gold figurines and ornaments from the Pre-Columbian Muisca, Quimbaya, and Calima tribes, dating from the 7th to the 16th centuries. These artifacts highlight the spiritual and social importance of gold in these cultures, often linked to the sun and believed to embody life-giving energy. The Muisca, for example, crafted gold into sacred offerings and ritual objects representing mythological figures, emphasizing the metal’s divine significance. The Quimbaya are noted for their advanced goldsmithing techniques, producing intricately designed pieces that demonstrate superior craftsmanship. The Calima’s artifacts are distinctive for their animal and human figures, integral to burial rituals and communal ceremonies. Each piece offers a window into the daily lives and beliefs of these ancient societies, demonstrating that gold was more than mere adornment—it was a fundamental element of their cosmological and social structure.

The museum’s Amber collection includes 150 rare necklaces from North Africa and the Horn of Africa, illustrating amber’s complex role throughout history. Known for its talismanic properties, amber has been used since prehistoric times not only for decoration but also in burial rites to protect the deceased in the afterlife. Believed to harness the power of the sun, amber was thought to repel darkness and attract light, providing both physical and spiritual healing, and was used to treat various diseases. Its value extends across cultures; in African societies, amber is highly prized in women’s dowries and was even used as currency until the late 19th century. In Korea, amber’s aesthetic value is celebrated in everyday and ceremonial items such as buttons and pendants. This wide range of uses underlines amber’s enduring appeal and significant cultural and historical importance across various societies.

Since its opening, the World Jewellery Museum has earned both national and international praise for its innovative exhibition design and the unique way it presents jewelry. Known as the “Jewel of the World,” the museum invites visitors to engage with a global collection of jewelry that transcends mere decoration, acting as a medium for cultural expression and personal storytelling. Recently, the museum has enhanced its digital presence, digitizing its collection to add an interactive dimension to its exhibitions. This technological advancement has enriched the visitor experience, enabling deeper connections with the wearable art on display and the rich stories and histories these pieces embody.

Co-director Eliane Kim comments on the intrinsic nature of jewelry, stating, “The principal language of jewelry is based on the sense of touch and it needs human contact more than any other medium. The core mission of the WJM is to explore this unique ability of jewelry to touch people and to speak about human connectedness, how it “activates” the soul and body, and how it is the social glue that binds relationships and symbolizes complex interactions. Founded with a mission “not to see borders, but to see humans on all continents who are united by a shared will to adorn oneself,” it is Lee Kang-won’s wish that the museum will thrive as a solid foundation for cultural exchange, collaboration and partnership on a global scale.”

The museum is located in the Bukchon neighborhood, or “Northern Village,” surrounded by significant cultural landmarks such as the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace, National Contemporary Art Museum, National Folk Art Museum, National Palace Museum, Seoul Craft Museum, and Jongmyo Shrine, along with the Blue House (the former presidential residence). This area is steeped in history, featuring hundreds of traditional Korean houses known as “hanok,” dating back to the Joseon dynasty. Bukchon is a cultural epicenter, dotted with important commercial art galleries, artists’ studios, and renowned restaurants and cafes.