The National Folk Museum of Korea under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 10th that it will launch its 2026 cultural diversity program using "Multicultural Kits" starting in March. The program will operate through four regional hub institutions: Hwaseong City History Museum, Busan Sasang Museum of Life, Daegu Local History Museum, and Geoje Fishing Village Folk Exhibition Hall.
The "Multicultural Kit" is Korea's first multicultural exhibition and hands-on educational material for children, developed by the National Folk Museum between 2010 and 2018. It enables children to experience and understand the cultures and daily lives of different countries. The program originated from the question "What is the role of museums in a multicultural era?" as Korea entered its multicultural age. It was designed to help multicultural families, including marriage immigrants, settle stably into Korean society.
The program consists of "Large Kits" containing videos and authentic materials, and "Small Kits" featuring hands-on items that stimulate all five senses. These are designed to help children naturally understand the lifestyles and values of other countries through folk culture as a medium. The initiative has been recognized as a pioneering educational model led by public cultural institutions, setting the direction and methodology for multicultural education.
Called a "mobile museum," the Multicultural Kit provides opportunities to experience diverse cultures and learn the value of coexistence. Until 2014, only Small Kits were available for loan. From 2015, the program expanded nationwide to include Large Kits, evolving into a regional public educational asset. The National Folk Museum loans country-specific kits to regional hub institutions, which then use them for their own educational programs, exhibitions, and events while also re-lending Small Kits to local daycare centers and libraries upon request.
Since the program began in 2010, approximately 1.25 million children have experienced the Multicultural Kits, according to the museum.
This year, the National Folk Museum aims to expand operations through four hub institutions in Gyeonggi (Hwaseong), Busan (Sasang), Daegu, and South Gyeongsang (Geoje) provinces. The goal is to advance beyond social integration toward mutual cultural understanding and global citizenship education. The museum plans to help children develop understanding and empathy for unfamiliar cultures while cultivating qualities as global citizens.
"The Multicultural Kit has established itself as a leading public educational asset in multicultural education and has become a model for exhibition and educational kit development at many cultural institutions," the museum stated. "This year, we aim to further expand utilization through new regional hub institutions and achieve advancement toward mutual cultural understanding and global citizenship education."