| Dates | 17–25 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Varies by programme. Yungneung and Geolleung are open 09:00–18:00 in September and October (last entry 17:00) and close on Mondays. |
| Venue | Yungneung and Geolleung (Yunggeolleung) royal tombs, plus 11 other royal tomb sites경기도 화성시 병점구 효행로481번길 21 (안녕동) |
| Admission | Entry to Yungneung and Geolleung, adults aged 25–64: ₩1,000 |
| Previous edition | 2025: 18–26 Oct 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Mid to late October 2027, about ten days from a Friday opening ceremony to the Sunday of the following week, if the pattern of 2024–2026 holds (11–20 Oct 2024, 17–26 Oct 2025, 16–25 Oct 2026, counting the opening days). Nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
Program
- Fri 16 Octopening ceremony at Yungneung and Geolleung, Hwaseong
- 26 Sep–25 OctJoseon royal tombs mobile stamp tour (pre-event)
- 30 Sep–25 OctRoyal Tombs Sound Gallery 'Sounds of Nature, Echoes of Memorial Rites' (pre-event exhibition)
- Royal tomb musical 'Peach Blossoms, Sad to Think of Them' (복사꽃, 생각하니 슬프다): evening outdoor show at Yungneung and Geolleung, about 60 minutes
- Performances'Royal Stage', Royal Tombs Humanities Academy, 'Stories of the Royal Tombs Told by a Tomb Keeper' and the original pansori 'Bogojigo Bogojigo' ('Longing to see you')
- Tours'Dream of the Tomb's Owner' (능주의 꿈), 'Joseon Detective: Royal Tomb Historians' Record' and a special opening of the burial-mound terraces (능침 특별 개방)
- Hands-onRoyal Tombs Culture Lounge, Royal Tombs Book Plaza and a Joseon royal ancestral-rite experience
- ExhibitionsRoyal Tombs Memorial Rites Exhibition Hall and 'The King's Garden'
- Academic seminar at Yongjusa temple: 'Joseon Royal Tombs and Memorial Temples' (조선왕릉과 원찰)
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry to Yungneung and Geolleung, adults aged 25–64 | ₩1,000 | Free for ages 24 and under and 65+; ₩800 per person for groups of 10 or more; Hwaseong residents ₩500. The other tombs charge their own entry fees. |
| Royal tomb musical 'Peach Blossoms, Sad to Think of Them' | — | Sold to foreign visitors on Creatrip at US$11.24 (18 Oct 2026); the Korean booking price was not found |
| Other festival programmes | — | Some performances and hands-on programmes are paid (KTO); prices not published in the sources opened |
Notes on the 2026 edition
7th edition. KTO, the ministry listing and the organizer's supporters' call give the festival period as Saturday 17 to Sunday 25 October, with the opening ceremony on Friday 16 October. Monday 19 October falls inside the period: royal tombs normally close on Mondays, and in 2025 the festival skipped its Monday.
About the festival
The World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival (세계유산 조선왕릉축전) is an annual autumn programme of performances, guided tours, exhibitions and hands-on activities at the UNESCO-listed Joseon royal tombs in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Yeongwol. The 7th edition runs 17–25 October 2026 at 12 royal tomb sites, after an opening ceremony on Friday 16 October at Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong. You pay each tomb's normal entry fee (₩1,000 for adults aged 25–64 at Yungneung and Geolleung, free for 24 and under and 65+), and some shows and activities cost extra; royal tombs close on Mondays.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
18 October 2026, against the sources listed below.