Hyundai Motor Group will build an interactive science museum in Korea for future generations in partnership with the Exploratorium, a world-renowned science museum located in San Francisco.
Hyundai Motor Group announced the plan on Wednesday (local time) after signing a strategic partnership with the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
The signing ceremony was attended by key officials including Sungwon Jee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor Group Brand Experience, Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, William F. (Bill) Mellin, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Exploratorium, Lindsay Bierman, the Sakurako and William Fisher Executive Director and CEO of the Exploratorium and Dr. Anne Richardson, Chief Experience Officer of the Exploratorium.
"Hyundai Motor Group continues to take on new challenges in cutting-edge scientific fields such as mobility and AI to contribute to humanity and future society," Chairman Chung said. "The interactive science museum we will create with the Exploratorium will nurture individual curiosity and the spirit of inquiry, and will play an important role as a differentiated science education venue for a better future."
"The collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group demonstrates the importance of curiosity, insight, and agency—uniquely human capabilities that machines and technology cannot replace," Executive Director Bierman said. "We will contribute to the sustainable development of our society and humanity by promoting science education, literacy, and innovation in Asia and around the world."
This collaborative project was launched as part of Hyundai Motor Group's vision to cultivate future talent through basic science development and science education innovation, which form the foundation of cutting-edge future industries including mobility, robotics, and artificial intelligence. The two organizations agreed to pursue global collaboration to provide differentiated science experiences for future generations, sharing the vision that "individual curiosity creates a creative future."
The Hyundai Motor Group science museum will be designed as a participatory exhibition space where visitors explore, experiment, and learn on their own, moving beyond the passive approach of simply watching and listening. It will also serve as a "science community platform" where experts from diverse backgrounds—including scientists, educators, and artists—directly participate in exhibition planning and research, and develop and operate educational programs in partnership with schools and local communities that help the public easily connect with and expand scientific thinking. The museum is planned as a flagship exhibition space at Hyundai Motor Group's Global Business Complex (GBC) in Gangnam, Seoul, with a target opening in 2032.
Founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium gained international recognition for establishing the modern model of interactive science museums by pioneering the "hands-on" exhibition approach that allows visitors to touch, experiment, and learn. The New York Times has called it one of the world's "most fascinating museums" and "the most important science museum to have opened since the mid-20th century." More than 80 percent of science museums worldwide have developed based on the Exploratorium's interactive exhibition model.
The Exploratorium, which attracts more than one million visitors annually, currently houses approximately 650 exhibits covering a wide range of topics including science, art, psychology, social culture, and climate change. It also operates various educational programs for students, teachers, and visitors, serving as a hub for science education innovation.
"The interactive science museum will be a participatory learning space where all visitors can explore and experiment on their own," a Hyundai Motor Group official said. "Together with the Exploratorium, we will contribute to innovation in Korea's science ecosystem and take the lead in cultivating creative talent who will lead cutting-edge future industries."
Founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium gained international recognition for establishing the modern model of interactive science museums by pioneering the "hands-on" exhibition approach that allows visitors to touch, experiment, and learn. The New York Times has called it one of the world's "most fascinating museums" and "the most important science museum to have opened since the mid-20th century." More than 80 percent of science museums worldwide have developed based on the Exploratorium's interactive exhibition model.
The Exploratorium, which attracts more than one million visitors annually, currently houses approximately 650 exhibits covering a wide range of topics including science, art, psychology, social culture, and climate change. It also operates various educational programs for students, teachers, and visitors, serving as a hub for science education innovation.
"The interactive science museum will be a participatory learning space where all visitors can explore and experiment on their own," a Hyundai Motor Group official said. "Together with the Exploratorium, we will contribute to innovation in Korea's science ecosystem and take the lead in cultivating creative talent who will lead cutting-edge future industries."
