Jongno Public Library

Wheelchair users can enter Jongno Public Library by the wide entrance route, but the way in from the general parking lot has stairs. Which floors the elevator reaches is not known. Opened in 1920, it is the oldest public library in Seoul.

Wheelchair: Partly accessibleThe entrance route is wide, and there is an elevator and an accessible toilet. The general parking lot entry has stairs, and the elevator stops are not known.
Walking load: MediumThe reading rooms are on several floors, but there is an elevator, no raised thresholds, and places to rest indoors.
Source: Checked online · Oct 2026

White multi-story Jongno Public Library building behind a red brick gate, with trees and a glass guard booth in front — KTO, KOGL Type 1

Getting there

Gyeongbokgung StationLine 3Street elevator at Exit 4.About 630 m in a straight line.
Station
Gyeongbokgung Station toiletInside the gates, B2, by Exit 3. Listed as not wheelchair-usable.
Dongnimmun StationLine 3Street elevator at Exit 4.About 800 m in a straight line.
Station
Dongnimmun Station toiletInside the gates, B2, by Exit 3-1. Listed as not wheelchair-usable.

Accessible toilets near here

Heads-up

The library closes on the second and fourth Mondays of each month and on national and government-designated public holidays. It can also close on temporary closure days set by the library director.

If you come by car, contact the library before you visit. Parking near the entrance needs contact first, and the general parking lot entry has stairs.

Getting in

Entrance: The route to the entrance is wide and easy for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The entrance has a swing door and a wide passage.
Stairs: Entry from the general parking lot is hard because it has stairs. Call 02-721-0707 (+82-2-721-0707 from abroad) when you visit.
Parking: There are no parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. If you contact the library before you visit, you can park at the badminton court near the entrance. It has extra space for wheelchair users.
Route: To walk to the library, leave Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) by Exit 1. This exit has no street elevator, so see Getting there.

Inside

Elevator: The library has an elevator, but which floors it reaches is not known. There are no raised thresholds inside.
Floors: Floor 1 has the front desk, the literature room, the humanities and social science room, and the old-documents exhibit. The science and information room is on Floor 2, and the study room is on Floor 3.
Toilets: The library has an accessible toilet. Ask at the front desk on Floor 1 where it is.
Rest: You can rest on the top floor and along the corridors. Since its renovation, the library also has seats set aside for people with physical limitations (as of April 2024).
Food: The cafe on Basement 1 is open 10:00-19:00 as of October 2026. It sells coffee, drinks, ramen and snacks. That floor also has a place to eat.

Also useful

Hours: As of October 2026, the literature room and the humanities and social science room open weekdays 09:00-20:00 and weekends 09:00-17:00. The science and information room opens weekdays 09:00-18:00 and weekends 09:00-17:00.
Admission: The library is free as of October 2026.
Exhibit: The old-documents exhibit (고문헌실감누리) on Floor 1 shows copies of heritage books, digital books and interactive maps from 1919 and 1933. It has only 3 seats. As of October 2026, it is free and opens Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00 and weekends 09:00-17:00.
Sensory support: A support room inside the Floor 1 literature room has PCs with screen magnifier and screen reader software and sound amplifiers. It also has low-vision magnifiers, hearing aids, braille books and large-print books. The library also has a tactile map. Ask staff whether visitors without a library card can use the support room.
Age limits: The study room and the PCs in the science and information room are for middle school students and older. Elementary school students can use the study room with a parent.

Not known yet

Which floors the elevator reaches, and how big it is
Which floor the accessible toilet is on, and how big it is
Slopes, steps and crossings between the station elevator exit and the library
Whether visitors without a library card can enter the reading rooms and the old-documents exhibit
Whether staff can help in English

Sources

The summary, the notes and the lists on this page draw on these sources.

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