Hyundai Motor Group and Exploratorium Partner to Inspire Future Innovators with Science Museum in Seoul
Press material
Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) today announced a long-term partnership with the Exploratorium, San Francisco’s world-renowned museum of science, art and human perception. The collaboration officially launches a plan to build a new, experiential science museum in Seoul.
Aligned in their belief that personal curiosity fosters innovative futures, the two parties have committed to a strategic global partnership aimed at delivering cutting-edge, experiential science programs to the next generation.
Through this partnership, the Group is dedicated to creating a dynamic ecosystem for learning and nurturing the next generation of creative, scientific talent. This new museum is a cornerstone of that long-term vision.
Hyundai Motor Group is committed to addressing new challenges in advanced fields, including mobility and artificial intelligence, to contribute to humanity and future society. The experiential science museum we are creating with Exploratorium will be a unique hub for science education, delivering experiences that nurture individual curiosity and a spirit of inquiry for a better future.
Left: (From left) Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, Sungwon Jee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor Group Brand Experience, Lindsay Bierman, the Sakurako and William Fisher Executive Director and CEO of the Exploratorium, William F. (Bill) Mellin, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Exploratorium. Right: (From left) 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, Dr. Anne Richardson, Chief Experience Officer of the Exploratorium.
What Makes the Exploratorium a Unique Partner?
The Exploratorium is a world-leading institution founded in 1969 by physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer. It is celebrated for pioneering the "hands-on" approach to learning, with its inquiry-based philosophy influencing numerous science centers worldwide.
The Exploratorium operates creative workshop spaces where experts – including scientists, engineers, artists and designers – actively collaborate to research, develop and build its exhibits.
It currently houses more than 650 interactive exhibits that explore a range of topics, including science, art, psychology, socio-culture and climate change.
The Exploratorium is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential science museums in the world, known for redefining how people engage with science through hands-on experiences.
Praised by The New York Times as “the most important science museum to have opened in the mid-20th century”.
The Exploratorium and Hyundai Motor Group share a commitment to cultivating the human capacities that no machine or technology can replicate: curiosity, discernment, and agency. What we're co-creating in Korea will drive progress for humanity by advancing science learning, literacy, and innovation across Asia and the world.
What Can Be Expected from the New Museum in Seoul?
The museum, set to open in 2032, will transform the visitor experience through active participation and hands-on engagement. Visitors will navigate an interactive learning environment where they are posed with questions and empowered to discover answers through their own direct exploration and experimentation.
Over the past several years, Hyundai Motor Group and the Exploratorium have worked closely together, sharing insights on education, content and experiential design. Grounded in the Exploratorium’s inquiry-based learning approach, Hyundai Motor Group’s human-centered vision, and the local context of Korea, this collaboration has informed the development of the new museum.
It will be developed around four core principles: Curiosity, Creativity, Community and Collaboration that reflect shared values between two parties.
The museum will also serve as a vibrant "science community platform". Through close work with local Korean communities, it will help spread a culture of scientific engagement and make science accessible to everyone.
Located within the Group’s Global Business Complex (GBC), the museum is envisioned as a leading science museum in Asia. The Group and the Exploratorium are committed to collaborating to establish this museum as a premier hub for scientific learning and cultural exchange across the region, offering unique science experiences to local residents and international visitors alike.
