Gimhae National Museum

At the foot of Gujibong hill — the very spot where the Gaya founding legend begins — stands the Gimhae National Museum.

Opened in July 1998, the museum was built to bring together the cultural heritage of ancient Gaya. Its all-black-brick exterior isn't just aesthetic; it symbolically evokes iron ore and charcoal, referencing Gaya's reputation as the "Kingdom of Iron."

The exhibits span two halls. Exhibition Hall I traces the line from prehistoric village sites like Ulsan's Geomdan-ri to the Byeonhan culture that laid Gaya's foundations, including a model of Tomb No. 1 at Changwon's Dahori site, alongside prehistoric culture from the wider Busan-Gyeongnam region. Rather than dazzling gold crowns, the collection leans heavily on ironware and pottery — a hands-on way to understand why Gaya earned its "iron kingdom" nickname.

Since it's within walking distance of the Tomb of King Suro and Gujibong hill, a nice route is to see the legendary sites first, then come here for the archaeological backstory.

Open 09:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30), closed Mondays, January 1, and the days of Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Free admission.