Uffizi Galleries and National Museum of Korea Sign Cultural Cooperation Agreement
The Facts
On June 16, 2026, the Uffizi Galleries announced a cooperation agreement with the National Museum of Korea, signed in the Uffizi Library by directors Simone Verde and You Hong June. The signing came during an institutional visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who toured the museum with First Lady Kim Hea Kyung, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and Ambassador Kim Choon-goo. Italy's ambassador to Korea, Emilia Gatto, also attended. The roughly hour-long tour covered masterworks from Giotto to Botticelli and Leonardo, including the recently restored Niobe Hall.
The Signal
The agreement marks a first step toward structured cultural exchange between two major national museums, potentially opening the way for future loans and collaborative exhibitions. For collectors and curators, it signals deepening institutional ties between Italy and South Korea—and points to Korean museums' continued focus on European Old Master collections as audiences and partnerships expand.
- Artists: Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci
- People: Simone Verde, You Hong June, Lee Jae Myung, Kim Hea Kyung, Cho Hyun, Kim Choon-goo, Emilia Gatto
- Museums: Uffizi Galleries, National Museum of Korea
- Locations: Florence
The Morning Signal · Daily
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
