North Korean museums do things differently than museums elsewhere.

First, I don’t remember seeing art museums there. They seem to make museums for historical and technical things, like wars and subway systems.

Second, instead of trying to present the history or teach understanding of the technology, its development, or the people who created it, they do two things: describe the involvement of Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong Il and make elaborate, detailed dioramas of it.

I shouldn’t overstate things. They do show some historical things and technical things, but those don’t seem their main goals. I’m used to inspiring kids being a major part of a museum. I didn’t see that in museums we saw.

Here is a video of a subway museum diorama featuring both mainstays of North Korean museums by showing an elaborate diorama of Kim Il Sung gallantly leading the construction.

I’ll note in passing that we took the subway and the cars were East German.

Sorry so dark, but that’s all the light I had.

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