▲ This poster of the featured program, "Scenes," is provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) said Monday it will offer a variety of special programs to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its Gwacheon branch, inviting visitors to reflect on the museum's significance and value.

The programs are being held in conjunction with the special exhibition "MMCA Gwacheon 40 Years: Imagining Light," which opened July 10. They include participatory events, lectures and film screenings.

One of the featured programs, "Scenes," is a participatory archive project that collects photographs and stories from visitors about their experiences at the Gwacheon museum. Through Aug. 25, the museum's anniversary, participants can submit photos and memories related to the venue. The submissions will be turned into social media card news posts, and the first 100 participants will receive limited-edition commemorative gifts.

A lecture series will also be held under the themes "The Museum of Empty Space," "The Museum in Nature" and "Physics in the Museum."

On July 15, German literature scholar Jeon Young-ae will discuss art and nature through Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's theory of colors. On Aug. 19, biologist Choi Jae-cheon will explore how nature becomes an aesthetic space while discussing the concept of Homo symbious. On Sept. 16, physicist Kim Sang-wook will examine the museum as a physical space that ages over time and requires continual care.

On the final Wednesday evenings of July and August, the museum will host "Night Museum Expedition," offering special after-hours access. Equipped with flashlights, participants will explore the lobby, central hall, circular garden and rooftop garden while experiencing the museum's architecture from a new perspective. Jung Da-young, co-artistic director of the Korean Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale and head of CAC, will lead the tours.

The museum will also offer "A Summer Museum Painted with Fragrance," a family program for children from July 29-31. Participants will create their own fragrances inspired by the museum's artworks and spaces.

Another program, "Artists of the Sculpture Park," will screen documentary films on artists whose works are installed in the museum's sculpture park, including Lee Ufan, Betty Gold, Magdalena Abakanowicz and Jenny Holzer.

The museum also plans to hold on-site events in collaboration with globally popular characters.

"The 40-year history of the Gwacheon museum has been shaped by the footsteps of its visitors," MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee said. "We hope the programs will provide an opportunity to envision the museum's past, present and future through each visitor's individual experience."

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