Seoul Palace Hours · Gyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung: hours, closing days and how to visit
The main palace. Throne hall, guard ceremony, the one on every itinerary.
Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty and is the largest of Seoul's five royal sites. If you only see one palace, it is usually this one — which also makes it the busiest.
- Closed
- Tuesdays — except when a public holiday moves it
- Hours
- 09:00, closing 17:00–18:30 by season · last entry one hour before
- Adult ticket
- ₩3,000
- Nearest subway
- Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5 (Line 3)
Opening hours
| Months | Open | Last entry | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| November–February | 09:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
| March–May, September–October | 09:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 |
| June–August | 09:00 | 17:30 | 18:30 |
Closing days
Gyeongbokgung closes every Tuesday. When a public holiday lands on a Tuesday, it opens for the holiday and the closure moves to the first following day that is not a holiday. Because Seollal and Chuseok follow the lunar calendar, those moved dates are different every year.
| Usually closed | Opens instead, for | Closed on |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, February 9, 2027 | Seollal (substitute) | Wednesday, February 10, 2027 provisional |
| Tuesday, September 14, 2027 | Chuseok holiday | Friday, September 17, 2027 provisional |
November 2026
December 2026
January 2027 · provisional
OpenClosed Open, but normally a closing day
Put Gyeongbokgung closing days in your calendar. Subscribe once and moved closures appear on their own when the holiday data is updated.
Royal Guard Changing Ceremony
10:00 and 14:00, in front of Heungnyemun Gate, about 20 minutes. Not held on Tuesdays or on the palace's closing days. Free, no booking. It can be cancelled in bad weather.
Gwanghwamun Gate guard ceremony
11:00 and 13:00, at Gwanghwamun, the main gate, about 10 minutes.
Tickets and free entry
Adult admission is ₩3,000. A ₩6,000 combined ticket covers the four palaces and Jongmyo and stays valid for six months from purchase; it does not include Changdeokgung's Secret Garden.
- Korea Grand Festival, Oct 29 – Nov 15 2026: free for everyone on every open day. Regular closing days still apply.
- Wearing hanbok: free entry, every open day.
- Culture Day, the last Wednesday of each month: free for everyone.
- Not part of the every-Wednesday free entry now running at the other sites — held back because of crowding, with no date announced.
What to see
- Geunjeongjeon — the throne hall, where the court gathered for state ceremonies.
- Gyeonghoeru — the banquet pavilion raised on stone pillars in a square pond.
- Hyangwonjeong — a small pavilion on an island near the north end of the grounds.
- National Folk Museum of Korea — inside the palace grounds.
- National Palace Museum of Korea — beside the palace, near the main entrance.
Getting there
| Station | Line | Exit | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung Station | Line 3 | Exit 5 | 2 min walk |
| Anguk Station | Line 3 | Exit 1 | 6 min walk |
| Gwanghwamun Station | Line 5 | Exit 2 | 6 min walk |
If it is closed when you are there
On an ordinary Tuesday, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung are open. A moved closing day can close several sites at once, so put your dates into the date checker to see which.
Questions
When is Gyeongbokgung closed?
Every Tuesday. When a Korean public holiday falls on a Tuesday, Gyeongbokgung opens that day and closes on the next non-holiday day instead, so check the exact date rather than the weekday. This page lists every moved closing day through 2027.
What are Gyeongbokgung's opening hours?
09:00–17:00 in November–February; 09:00–18:00 in March–May, September–October; 09:00–18:30 in June–August. Last admission is one hour before closing.
What time is the changing of the guard at Gyeongbokgung?
At 10:00 and 14:00, in front of Heungnyemun Gate, for about 20 minutes. It is not held on Tuesdays or on the palace's closing days, and can be cancelled in bad weather. There is also a shorter guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate at 11:00 and 13:00.
How do I get to Gyeongbokgung by subway?
Take Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and use Exit 5 — it is about a two-minute walk.
Sources
Ceremony times, tour schedules, ticket rules and directions were checked against these official pages on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Closing days are computed from Korea's official holiday calendar.