Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si)
, Seogwipo
The Chocolate Museum in Seogwipo, Jeju is the second largest chocolate museum in the world (the largest being the Cologne Chocolate Museum in Germany). Built using volcanic scoria unique to Jeju, the museum looks like an ancient castle and seems to complement the surrounding natural environment. The front yard measures 5,000 meters squared and is surrounded by a low-lying fence made of rough stones, giving even passerbyers a great view of the museum's front garden .At the entrance to the museum, a whimsical statue of a cacao god greets visitors. The museum has three floors and houses a gallery, a theater, a café, a workshop, and a chocolate store. The most popular exhibits are the gallery with various exhibits on chocolate and the workshop showing the chocolate-making process. The chocolate produced at the museum is available for both sampling and purchase. In addition, the 'Collection Square' features a wide array of chocolate cases and other items that Mr. Han Ye-seok, the museum director, has collected from around the world.In the 'Chateâu Chocolat: Real Chocolate Place' chocolate shop at the Chocolate Museum, visitors can get a taste of hand-made chocolates. The Chateâu Chocolat is a retail chocolate chain with franchises in Gyeongbokgung, Apgujeong, Itaewon, and Changdeokgung in Seoul, and Yangyang and Somdari in Gangwon-do.The Chocolate Museum's general operating hours are from 10am to 6pm, but in the winter the museum closes early at 5pm, and in summer stays open until 7pm.