Parents who can take a day off on May 4 will effectively enjoy an extended spring break from May 1 to 5. However, long holidays can be stressful for parents without special plans. Major national science institutions in Korea have prepared a variety of family experience events to ease these concerns. With offerings ranging from Children's Day festivals to experience programs running throughout the holiday period, and annual membership programs for repeat visits, families can consider spending time together at science museums.
Family Quiz Competitions and Popular YouTubers: Gwacheon Science Museum Transforms into a Theme Park
The National Gwacheon Science Museum, popular in the Seoul metropolitan area, will hold a commemorative event on May 5, Children's Day, under the theme "Science Therapy = Healing Through Enjoyable Science." The event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. across the museum, featuring about 40 programs in six categories.
For children seeking authentic science experiences, the "Oh! My Maker" experience zone is recommended. The zone offers about 30 experience programs including polymer bouncy balls, planet mood lamps, space slime, and an ESG environmental fashion show. Families with young children may find the "Oh! Paradise" parade program appealing. The program features a costume parade with characters from fairy tales, providing abundant visual entertainment.
Programs for children dreaming of becoming YouTubers are also expected to offer a special experience. Comedian Kim Won-hoon will host "Oh! Pleasant Talk," featuring a special lecture on "Challenging Dreams: The Journey to Becoming a Creator." Science communicator Gwedo will also deliver a special lecture on "The Future Created by Artificial Intelligence: How Far Have We Come?"
"Oh! Happy Family," a program for entire families, will feature participatory programs including family O·X quizzes and cooperative games. A children's electric car experience program called "Oh! Run, Car" will also be available.
AI Escape Room Challenge at Busan Science Museum
The Busan Science Museum will run an event titled "2026 Ttukttak Ttukttak Family Challenge" from May 2 to 5. The participatory event, in which families solve problems and create items together while learning scientific principles, is expected to offer various attractions for visitors during the holiday period. The Busan Science Museum will be closed on Monday, May 4.
For parents wanting to introduce their children to artificial intelligence (AI), the Busan Science Museum's "Family AI Challenge" is recommended. The program features an "outdoor escape room" game in which participants decode secret messages using Google Circle to Search and Claude AI, and translate unfamiliar Thai, Arabic, and Indian languages using Google Translate. Participants can naturally incorporate AI into daily life by utilizing various AI programs including Google Lens, Perplexity, and Gemini.
The Busan National Science Museum is fully launching its new annual membership program, "Science Pass." Annual members of the Busan Science Museum can access permanent exhibition halls at six national science museums across the country, including Gwacheon, Central, Gwangju, Daegu, and Gangwon, free of charge.
Dinosaur and Insect Fans to Daegu, Adults to Daejeon
The Daegu National Science Museum will open its permanent exhibition hall and children's exhibition hall free of charge from May 2 to 5, and operate a special exhibition themed on dinosaurs, along with fossil excavation and craft-making experiences. The Daegu National Weather Science Museum will also hold a Children's Day event on May 5 under the theme "Let's Fly on a Paper Airplane! A World Tour of Weather." Through programs that teach weather and climate through play, children can naturally encounter science in daily life.
The Daejeon National Science Museum has prepared programs that adults as well as children can enjoy. From May 1 to 3, the museum will open "Pause the Hustle, Log in to Childhood," operating experiential programs that help visitors release stress and emotional fatigue. The event theme is "Today is Adult Children's Day: Our World." Programs combining science and relaxation stand out, such as making "Worry Stones" to rub when feeling down and the "Planetarium Starlight Tour," where visitors can rest while listening to stories about constellations. The "Stress and Emotional Fatigue Recovery Class" operates on a reservation basis. Targeting adolescents aged 12 and older and adults, the program accommodates 30 people per session, twice a day, allowing 180 people to participate over three days.
On May 1, "Real Adults Don't Get Drunk," hosted by a sommelier from a top domestic hotel, will offer non-alcoholic cocktail making and a planetarium starlight tour. On May 2, "Don't Grow Up, Tactile Playground" will feature making resin keycap keyrings, and on May 3, "Making Worry Stones," symbolizing letting go of worries, will take place. Each program will be followed by a planetarium starlight tour.
