Hannam Bugeoguk

Leeum Museum of Art

An art museum run by the Samsung Foundation of Culture. The standing exhibition of historic Korean art is free and the special exhibitions are ticketed, priced per show rather than at a standing rate. From exit 1 of Hangangjin Station, the route runs 100 metres towards Itaewon, then turns right into the first alley for an uphill walk of about five minutes.

Seoul Forest

The park is open 24 hours and never closes, but almost everything worth timing inside it does — the ecological forest, both conservatories and the floor fountain all keep separate hours, and the two indoor ones shut on Mondays. Tents, sun shelters and awnings are banned outright, which is the rule most picnic plans get wrong.

N Seoul Tower

Time the visit around sunset if you want both daylight and night views, and plan the ascent separately from the observatory ticket.

National Museum of Korea

Two closure rules, not one, and they are not the same thing: the museum itself shuts on only three days a year, while the permanent galleries take a quarterly Monday off with the garden still open. Wednesday and Saturday run to 21:00 — the only evenings you can see this place without daylight pressure.