The National Museum of Korea (Director: Yoo Hong-jun) and the Uffizi Galleries in Italy (Director: Simone Verde) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on June 13 at the Uffizi Galleries to expand cultural exchange between the two institutions.
 
The agreement was established to lay the foundation for cooperation between two leading cultural institutions representing Korea and Italy, while promoting the international value of their cultural heritage and strengthening bilateral cultural exchange.
 
Under the MOU, the two institutions will expand professional exchanges based on their expertise across various areas of museum practice. In particular, they will strengthen collaboration in a wide range of fields, including exhibitions, interpretation and education programs, collections management, conservation, restoration, and publications.
 
Through this partnership, the institutions are expected to promote the value of Korea’s cultural heritage and Italy’s Renaissance culture to a global audience, while providing opportunities for the people of both countries to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s cultures.
 
The Uffizi Galleries are among the world's most renowned museums, showcasing masterpieces of the Renaissance and housing the vast Medici collection. Their holdings include such iconic works as Giotto’s The Ognissanti Madonna, Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation.

The agreement is expected to further expand relations between Korea and Italy, which were elevated to a “Special Strategic Partnership” during President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Italy, through cooperation between the National Museum of Korea and the Uffizi Galleries, two of the countries’ leading cultural institutions.
 
Building on this agreement, the National Museum of Korea plans to deepen its collaboration with the Uffizi Galleries and explore a wide range of international exchange initiatives based on the rich cultural heritage and expertise of both institutions.
 
Ahead of the signing ceremony, Director Yoo Hong-jun and Director Simone Verde met on June 12 to discuss future avenues for cooperation following the MOU, including potential exhibition exchanges and other collaborative projects between the two institutions.

Director Yoo Hong-jun noted that “the National Museum of Korea has hosted major special exhibitions introducing masterpieces from some of the world’s leading museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery in London.” He added, “I hope we will have the opportunity to introduce masterpieces from the Uffizi Galleries, including works by Botticelli, to audiences in Korea.”
 
In response, Director Simone Verde said, “I am well aware of the remarkable global influence of Korean culture in recent years,” adding that “I would very much like to present works from the Uffizi Galleries’ collection in Korea.”
 
Director Yoo Hong-jun remarked, “This agreement is particularly meaningful as it marks the first step in cooperation between the National Museum of Korea, the country’s leading museum, and the Uffizi Galleries, one of the foremost institutions representing the Renaissance.”
 
He continued, “I look forward to seeing the two institutions build meaningful exchanges across a wide range of areas, including exhibitions, research, and education, drawing on their accumulated scholarly expertise and outstanding collections.”

References

• 국립중앙박물관 보도자료 (National Museum of Korea Press Release)