This article is by Lee Jian, Woo Ji-won and read by an artificial voice.

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang - Once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 B.C. - 935 A.D.), Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang is not only a place where history lives on in its royal tombs and temples, but also within its museums.
As the city prepares to welcome visitors from around the world for the 2025 APEC summit, its museums are holding exhibitions that celebrate the city's rich cultural legacy.
From shimmering gold crowns symbolizing Silla's royal power to contemporary reinterpretations of its art, geography and religion, the Korea JoongAng Daily introduces four exhibitions in Gyeongju held during the summit period and beyond that highlight both its 992-year-long history and modern creativity.
Gyeongju National Museum
The overwhelming prestige of Silla's royalty comes alive once again at the Gyeongju National Museum, where the radiance of gold crowns shines through the dimly lit exhibition hall.
For the first time in since their discovery in 1921, six gold crowns from the "Kingdom of Gold" are being presented together at the museum.

"The gold crowns symbolize the pinnacle of royal authority in Silla and are among the most original and sophisticated masterpieces of ancient jewelry not only in East Asia but in the world," said a museum official.
Set to open to the public on Sunday, the special exhibition "Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige" is being held to celebrate both the upcoming 2025 APEC summit and the museum's 80th anniversary.
The display brings together all six known crowns - from the early fifth-century Gyo-dong crown to those from the Hwangnamdaechong, Geumgwanchong, Seobongchong, Geumryeongchong and Cheonmachong tombs - along with other gold artifacts, such as crown ornaments and belts, bringing the total to 20 pieces. Among them are seven National Treasures and seven Treasures.
Of all the ancient kingdoms, Silla alone consistently refined its gold crown designs over nearly a century. Each crown features a headband topped with branch- or antler-shaped uprights, symbolizing sacred trees and transcendence, and adorned with pendants representing life and renewal.
At first glance, they may appear similar, but "each carries its own balance of tradition and innovation," said researcher Kim Dae-hwan. The Gyo-dong crown, admired for its simple beauty and displayed first in the exhibition, lacks curved jade pendants. The Geumryeongchong crown replaces jade with small gold bells, and the Seobongchong crown includes a dome-shaped inner cap topped with a bird ornament.

Visitors are sure to be captivated by the gold crowns and belts from Geumgwanchong, Seobongchong and Geumryeongchong, which are displayed side by side across a broad wall. At the center of the gallery, the Hwangnamdaechong crown, believed to be worn by women, radiate blinding brilliance, while the full set of gold ornaments - crown, belt, earrings and bracelets - from Cheonmachong evokes Silla's belief that wealth and authority continued into the afterlife.
Digital displays at the end of the exhibition answer some of visitors' most common questions - including whether the crowns were made of pure gold. They also show photos of the intricate craftsmanship up close.
"Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige" runs through Dec. 12 at Silla History Exhibition Hall 3.
Wolji Exhibition Hall
The Gyeongju National Museum has reopened its Wolji Exhibition Hall to the public after an 18-month renovation, inviting visitors once again to explore more than 1,000 cultural assets from Unified Silla (668-935) at the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond.

"In addition to fully modernizing the aging facilities and creating a barrier-free environment, we focused on presenting the artifacts using the latest exhibition techniques," said researcher Lee Hak-tae. "We incorporated various media displays to help visitors understand how each relic was used and created wire installations to recreate three-dimens...

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