Nation's First Korean American Museum Takes Shape

New renderings have been unveiled for the first permanent home of the Korean American National Museum, bringing the long-sought project dedicated to a celebration of Korean heritage closer to reality.

Architecture firm Morphosis Architects released illustrations this month for the design of the two-story museum planned at 605 S. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles' Koreatown, believed to be one of the first and largest such neighborhoods in the country.

“This building will stand as a vital institution for the millions of Korean Americans who have made this country their home and will beautifully represent the strength and accomplishments of our community,” Jae Min Chang, board vice chair at the Korean American National Museum, said in a statement.

The museum was founded in 1991 as an institution to preserve and promote the Korean Americans' cultural heritage but has not had a dedicated location. Instead, it has partnered with universities, museums and other entities to present exhibitions or information. Discussions for a permanent museum location began in 2000 and have included a wide variety of ideas and designs.

This Koreatown location was selected for its significance to the history of the Korean American immigration story. The design incorporates the traditional Korean hanok, or house, which consists of a courtyard with open space in the middle surrounded by galleries, meeting rooms and offices. It also has a sculptural roof garden with plants native to Korea such as bamboo, maple and pine.

The museum is being built at the site of a city-owned parking facility, and would include gardens and a traditional Korean motif on its façade.

The cost of construction for the museum is estimated to be $25 million, while the total cost, including for pre-construction, is estimated at around $33 million, according to Shinae Yoon, executive director at the Korean American National Museum. The state of California has awarded $4 million in funding for the development.

“This is significant to our community and the mainstream because this is the first-ever Korean American museum in the nation harboring the immigration story of the Korean American diaspora and how their contribution, tenacity, religious ties have brought so much influence in the community,” Peter Paik, a real estate investor and adviser and president of the Korean Real Estate Brokers Association of Southern California, said in an email. “This will be a gift for our younger and future generation of Korean Americans who will carry out bigger roles in the mainstream.”

The museum is scheduled to break ground next year and is slated to be completed in 2022.

Koreatown is one of Los Angeles' hot spots for multifamily with about 2,000 units under construction, according to CoStar Market Analytics.