10 Best Family Things to Do in Seoul

Lotte World, located in central Seoul, is one of the world’s largest indoor theme parks. It has plenty of thrilling rides, films, an ice-skating rink, lively parades, and laser shows for visitors of all ages. You can also visit an onsite folk museum, which displays miniature villages and artefacts that are more than 5,000 years old. 

Admission fees for Lotte World vary according to time of entry – the ticket gives you free access to Lotte World’s folk museum, Adventure and Magic Island. 

The Pureun Arboretum is the first arboretum created by the city of Seoul. The arboretum, built around Hang-dong Reservoir, is famous for its wooden deck paths and metasequoia paths over wetlands. The rose garden, walking trails, and hedge maze are easy to walk and stroller-accessible, making them popular with families with small children. You can find the Pureun Arboretum when you pass the now-retired Hang-dong Railway, which has been transformed with wild grass planted around the track. 

Seoul Animation Center welcomes children at the entrance with some of their favourite cartoon characters. Inside, there are experience facilities where they can interact with characters through media and even appear in animations themselves. The comic book library on the first floor is free for anyone to use. Transport to and from is convenient, but finding parking can be difficult. Using public transport is recommended.

The National Children’s Science Center has various exhibits with scientific principles to teach both kids and adults in a fun way. You can even find statues of giant dinosaurs here, and who doesn’t love dinosaurs? It’s just a brisk 10-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 3, which means that public transport is your best option. Note that the centre has limited admissions by the hour for a comfortable visit, so it’s a good idea to book online before visiting. Plus, the admission fee is low. 

Starfield COEX Mall has lots of spaces where couples can spend time together, such as a cinema, performance theatre, book shop, aquarium, restaurants, and cafés. You can take great photos at Starfield Library, which serves as a meeting square in the spacious Starfield COEX Mall. Plus, there’s a department store next door where you can do some shopping. Besides being connected to Samseong Station, the mall is also close to tourist attractions such as Bongeun Temple, so there should be plenty for you to do throughout the day. 

The National Museum of Korea hosts a variety of interesting exhibitions for children and adults throughout the year. As the country’s representative museum, it’s massive in scale, offering rest areas and restaurants, as well as plenty of outdoor spaces. Must-sees include Mir Falls, a reflecting pond, and a traditional dye botanical garden. The outdoor exhibition hall (garden) opens at 7 am, while the children’s museum and outdoor exhibition hall are open year-round except on New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year’s Day, and Thanksgiving Day.

The Seoul Museum of History, where the history of Seoul is on display, is close to Seodaemun Station and Gwanghwamun Station. Except on Mondays when the museum is closed, commentated tours are provided at 11 am, 2 pm, and 3 pm, allowing for more in-depth viewing. There are resting areas and cafés within the museum's premise. It's also connected to Gyeonghui Palace.

Jingwansa Temple is an early Goryeo-era temple that's a great spot to get away from the bustling city for a quiet break with your family. There are short paths that are excellent for walking together with children, and there’s also a stream nearby where you can soak your feet. You can experience temple food and a teahouse. Temple stays are available if you want to feel fully immersed at Jingwansa Temple. Walk through Eunpyeong Hanok Village and a little further to Mt. Bukhan to reach the temple.

Donuimun Museum Village, located close to Gwanghwa Gate, has a variety of activities for children and adults. Adults can visit the exhibit hall while the kids get busy with activities, so it’s a great place where the whole family can spend time in. There are many things to experience, such as a creativity centre and gallery. Because it’s laid out like a small village, you can freely wander through the alleys and stop to experience whatever catches your eye.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall has exhibits showing the painful history of Korea’s Japanese occupation period and military dictatorship. Because it uses actual areas where independence and democratisation activists were imprisoned, the atmosphere alone is heavy enough to convey the sense of difficulty the prisoners had to endure. It’s a well-known destination for children’s education. Although there’s plenty of parking space available, we recommend getting here by public transport on crowded days, such as the National Liberation Day of Korea.