Deoksugung Palace Guide 2026: Hours, Entrance Fee, Changing of the Guard, Stone Wall Road & Night Visit

Separate an ordinary palace visit from Seokjojeon tours and museum exhibitions. For an evening plan, check the last palace entry first and use the Jeongdong walk as an optional extension.

A palace unlike the other four

Deoksugung lets you compare traditional halls and Western-style buildings associated with the Korean Empire in one walk. Start with Junghwajeon’s ceremonial court, then look at Jeonggwanheon’s columns and railings and Seokjojeon’s façade. An interior tour of Seokjojeon and an exhibition at the adjoining MMCA Deoksugung are separate visits. Evening palace admission does not mean both interiors remain open.

The stone-wall road and the Jeongdong loop

For a stone-wall walk, our suggested route starts at Daehanmun and continues towards Jeongdong Theater, Chungdong First Methodist Church and Jungmyeongjeon. Add the uphill path for the old Russian Legation tower, or turn towards SeMA Seosomun if art is your priority. Walking past a building does not include access to its interior. Allow time for the wall, trees and brick façades, shortening or extending the route around the opening hours of the places you want to enter.

Places to consider along your route

Choose the stops that fit your time and interests. This is an editorial selection, not a measured ranking of local visits.

1. Seokjojeon interior visits distinguish general and in-depth tours. Official guidance lists 15 online places plus five on-site places for visitors aged 65+ or foreign visitors, with identification, for the general tour. The in-depth tour has 20 online places and no on-site booking. Online reservations open at 10:00 one week before the visit; changes or cancellations close at 23:00 the previous day. Check the language and availability of the actual session.
2. Jeonggwanheon (정관헌) — Look at the columns and decorative railings, comparing them with Junghwajeon and Seokjojeon. Stay within the open visitor route.
3. Junghwajeon throne hall (중화전) — View the throne hall and rank stones from the visitor path; do not stand or climb on heritage stones.
4. MMCA Deoksugung — A museum specialising in modern art in Seokjojeon’s west wing. Check the exhibition’s admission fee and closing days separately from palace admission.
5. Deoksugung stone-wall road — A walking option from Daehanmun towards Jeongdong. Distinguish the public streets outside the palace from entrances to its ticketed grounds.
6. Jungmyeongjeon (중명전) — the red-brick hall on the lane where the 1905 protectorate treaty was forced — small, free, and the emotional center of Jeongdong.
7. Old Russian Legation tower — An optional uphill walk to the white tower in Jeongdong. Add it according to your mobility and remaining time.
8. Chungdong First Methodist Church — See the red-brick chapel dedicated in 1897. It is an active place of worship: respect services and events, and follow the church’s guidance on interior access.
9. Seoul Museum of Art, Seosomun — general admission is free, with charges for some special exhibitions. The museum preserves the former court building’s façade. Check exhibitions, closures and last entry for your visit date.
10. Seoul Plaza (서울광장) — the square in front of City Hall can be a separate stop beside Deoksugung. Watch the guard ceremony from its designated viewing area at Daehanmun. Check current seasonal announcements for plaza performances or an ice rink.

Open Deoksugung on Naver Map

Getting there & manners