New book explores more than two millennia of Korean art and culture

Korea Exhibition — The exhibition, which will accompany the new book. Image: The Trustees of the British Museum

The newly-released book offers a fresh perspective on the peninsula’s rich creative history

A new book published by the British Museum Press will explore more than 2,000 years of Korean art and culture, offering a fresh perspective on the peninsula’s rich creative history.

Across the centuries, artists and craftspeople alike have taken inspiration from the past, recreating and reinterpreting forms and meanings in innovative ways.

The book, Korea: 2,000 years of creativity, will showcase an exceptional collection of objects, primarily from the collection of the late Samsung Chair, Lee Kun-Hee. After his passing in 2020, his family donated more than 23,000 objects from his collection to Korea’s national museums.

Through four chapters, exploring ancient states to modern and contemporary periods, the authors of the book explore historical characteristics – from religious and economic contexts to relationships with other countries – which helped to shape each era’s artistic traditions and cultural values.

The illustrated book contains images of early Iron Age ritual bells, inlaid lacquerware, landscape paintings, portraits, sculpture, ceramics and multimedia contemporary art.

The book will be accompanied by an exhibition, Korea, opening at the British Museum in October 2026 – the first major exhibition on Korea’s art and history in more than 40 years.

Korea will run from 1 October 2026 – 31 January 2027 in The Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery at the British Museum.