SeMA becomes first Korean art institution to win international award for accessibility program
Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) became the first Korean art institution to receive the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art’s Outstanding Museum Practice Award for its inclusive "Parallel Views" program.
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Museumgoers are seen paired together and viewing an exhibition as part of the "Parallel Views: Art in Conversation" program at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in Nowon District, northern Seoul, in this photo provided by the museum.SEOUL MUSEUM OF ART
The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) won the 2026 Outstanding Museum Practice Award (OMPA) on Friday, becoming the first Korean art institution to win the prestigious award presented by the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM).
The CIMAM awarded the OMPA to a branch of SeMA, the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art, for an accessibility program “Parallel Views: Art in Conversation” hosted by the museum.
Museumgoers are seen paired together and viewing an exhibition as part of the "Parallel Views: Art in Conversation" program at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in Nowon District, northern Seoul, in this photo provided by the museum.SEOUL MUSEUM OF ART
“Parallel Views” is a nonregular program provided by SeMA where museumgoers with visual disabilities are paired with those who are nonimpaired and view an exhibition together. A range of accessible and sensory materials are used, including tactile resources, 3-D models and audio descriptions during the program.
The program began this year and has been organized in collaboration with the Purme Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitation of the disabled, and with the support of Volvo Car Korea.
CIMAM is an international network of museums and collections of modern and contemporary art with 1,022 member institutions across 94 countries. The OMPA was established in 2021 to recognize innovative museum practices that “inspire the international museum community” and highlights practices that respond to local contexts while addressing broader challenges facing museums that can be adapted elsewhere.
“Receiving the OMPA is very significant in that it recognizes the way ‘Parallel Views’ has approached accessibility,” said Choi Eun-ju, director of SeMA. “Rather than understanding accessibility only as the removal of physical and information barriers, this program has explored it as a way of building relationships. We see this award as an encouragement for the Seoul Museum of Art to continue exploring how museums can build meaningful connections with society.”
The 2026 OMPA ceremony will take place during the 58th CIMAM Annual Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe, from Nov. 20 to 22.
