[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] The Gachon Lee Gil-ya Obstetrics and Gynecology Museum, operated by the Gachon Cultural Foundation founded by Lee Gil-ya, has marked its 10th anniversary. Since opening in June 2016, the museum has drawn more than 150,000 cumulative visitors over the past decade. It has established itself as a cultural space that shares Lee Gil-ya's life and philosophy, as well as a local attraction where visitors can experience what hospitals were like in the 1960s and 1970s.
◇Faithful restoration of the clinic's consultation room and operating room, first opened in 1958
The Gachon Lee Gil-ya Obstetrics and Gynecology Museum was created to share and promote the values of 'philanthropy, service and patriotism' that Lee Gil-ya has practiced throughout her life. It faithfully recreates the consultation room, operating room and ward of the Lee Gil-yeo Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, which opened in Yong-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, in 1958. The museum also presents a range of exhibits that trace Lee Gil-ya's footsteps across medicine, education, culture and volunteer work. In addition to the hospital facilities, it recreates everyday scenes from the time, when the clinic served as a place of rest and comfort for patients, using models and props.
On the first and second floors, which recreate the old clinic, the consultation room, waiting room, ward and operating room have all been restored. Visitors can see vivid scenes from the hospital at the time, including agricultural products and fish brought in place of medical fees, a wheeled consultation chair and the ultrasound device introduced for the first time in Korea. The story of seaweed soup prepared for mothers reflects the deep care shown to patients as if they were family. A photo zone with lifelike wax figures has become a popular stop for visitors.
◇150,000 cumulative visitors, a destination drawing 3,000 people a month in May
The Gachon Lee Gil-ya Obstetrics and Gynecology Museum has welcomed 150,029 visitors over the past 10 years since opening. In 2025 alone, annual attendance reached 24,720, setting a new record since the museum opened in 2016.
So far in 2026, the museum has been drawing more than 3,000 visitors a month on average. On recent weekends, more than 200 people a day have been visiting the site.
Group visits have also remained steady. Daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools, university students, foreign groups and public institutions have all visited the museum as part of educational and hands-on activities. In total, 13,010 people have taken part in 306 group tours so far.
The museum has also attracted strong interest online. As of June 2026, its YouTube channel had 30,360 subscribers and 14.92 million cumulative views.
The channel features videos of Lee Gil-ya's television appearances and life story, as well as content on the Lee Gil-yeo Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, the museum, and news from the Gachon Gil Foundation. Some videos have drawn millions of views, attracting broad attention.
◇"Thanks to you, I did not give up on my child, and I now have my daughter"
Over the past 10 years, the museum has also welcomed people with special ties to the Lee Gil-yeo Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic. Mothers who gave birth there decades ago, people who were born at the clinic, former patients, employees who worked there at the time, and nearby residents have all visited the museum and recalled old memories. One woman, who had considered an abortion in the 1960s and visited the hospital several times, decided to give birth after repeated persuasion from Director Lee, who urged her to save the child. When she later visited the museum, she said, "Thanks to you, I did not give up on my child, and I now have my daughter," expressing her gratitude.
Lee Sang-soon, who gave birth to a child at the Lee Gil-yeo Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic in the 1970s, recalled, "I will never forget Director Lee's kindness in saying, 'I won't take any money, so stay a little longer and recover before you leave.'" It is one example of how Lee Gil-ya's sincerity, which always put patients first, still remains in the hearts of many people.
◇Expanded exhibits and hands-on programs after 2024 renovation
The newly introduced exhibition spaces following the museum's reopening after its 2024 renovation have further enriched the attractions on the first and second floors, including the hospital reception area, consultation rooms and wards.
In particular, the 8th-floor Windmill Experience Center for children and teenagers offers a range of activities, including trying on a doctor's coat and listening to a heartbeat with a stethoscope, CPR practice, proper handwashing exercises and human body exploration. Through these hands-on experiences, visitors can better understand the role of medical professionals, explore their own career paths and naturally learn the importance of health and hygiene, making the center especially popular with young visitors.
Over the past 10 years, the Gachon Lee Gil-ya Obstetrics and Gynecology Museum has gone beyond simply displaying the past. It has become an educational and cultural space that conveys Lee Gil-ya's warm medical care and her belief in 'philanthropy, service and patriotism.'
Going forward, the museum plans to continue serving as a bridge between generations by offering children and teenagers lessons on the value of life and health, while also reminding adult visitors of the meaning of sharing and service through a variety of exhibitions and hands-on programs.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
