Utilization of Seodaemun Prison History Museum as a Space for Public History Education

This article presents several suggestions on the role and use of the history museum as a place for history education, focusing on audiences’ reactions to the exhibition at the Seodaemun Prison History Museum.<br/>The Seodaemun Prison History Museum is a place where families often visit, and there are many young audiences. The torture scenes, experiences, and execution grounds that are recreated for them are frightening and actually hinder historical education. Therefore, age notification should be posted on the website and at the entrance to the underground torture chamber so that it can be properly utilized as a place for historical education. Age notification can not only encourage parents to do pre-learning, but also increase the use of museums by having their children do pre-learning through their parents. Therefore, it is necessary to further activate educational programs for adults. Finally, when the emotions felt by audiences are transformed into an understanding and attitude toward society, the history museum becomes meaningful as a place for public history education. Therefore, the history museum needs to clearly present the purpose and direction of the exhibition that can contribute to the understanding and attitude toward society.