A Visit to TOBUNKEN by Staff of the National Museum of Korea Library
On May 21, 2026, three staff members from the Library of the National Museum of Korea visited the TOBUNKEN Library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN): Ms. Jeon Hae-eun, Officer, Education Division; Ms. Bae Jin-hee, Curator, Education Division; and Mr. Jeong Jae-ho, Librarian, Education Division.
The National Museum of Korea is widely recognized as one of Korea’s leading national museums. Its library collects and systematically organizes specialized materials related to museums from Korea and abroad, and provides diverse and professional information to library users and researchers in related fields. Its holdings include approximately 110,000 books and 40,000 academic journals in museum-related fields such as archaeology, general history, and art history. In this respect, the character of its collection may be considered similar to that of the TOBUNKEN Library.
On the day of the visit, guided by Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki and Mr. TASHIRO Yuichiro of the Cultural Property Archives Laboratory, the visitors received an overview of the Institute’s collection of books, which has been accumulated since 1930, an introduction to the reading environment of the TOBUNKEN Library, and an explanation of the Institute’s initiatives for the preservation and publication of materials. The visit also provided an opportunity for a lively exchange of views on such topics as the role of specialized libraries in museums and cultural property research institutions; the organization, preservation, and utilization of materials; user services; and the current state and challenges of digitization.
Although the two institutions operate under different national and institutional systems, they share many common issues associated with collecting and organizing cultural properties and museum-related materials and making them available to users, including researchers and students. Taking this visit as an opportunity, we hope to continue sharing information on materials and deepening exchanges concerning specialized libraries and archives, thereby contributing to the development of the research infrastructure for cultural properties in East Asia.
Library of the National Museum of Korea
https://www.museum.go.kr/MUSEUM/contents/M0610010000.do