International Friendship Exhibition, North Pyongan Province, North Korea

5RCC_10 5:00 PM Aug 28, 2013

Grand Significant Place Not To Miss Out On
I have happily walked through the vast International Friendship Exhibition Halls four (4) times in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2013. And I very much want to return again soon. I feel it is by far the best ‘modern-contemporary’ museum that I have ever seen. Entrances to the Eternal President Great leader Kim Il Sung Exhibition Hall and the Supreme (formerly Dear) Leader Kim Jong-il Exhibition Hall are about two hundred (200) metres apart. Moreover the Inside of these fine buildings are perfectly maintained. Most of the exhibits are superlative. Although I feel many westerners would likely regard about twenty five precent as being of lesser severance. Nevertheless not me, I love the place. Foreigners can only tour before lunch time; so remember make every effort to get there as early as your guide will allow you. At the gigantic front doors of both Exhibition Halls it will be necessary to hand over all cameras. Then everyone must wear the provided shoe covers. In first main hall of both buildings there is the normal homerage to Great Leader and Dear Leader. At this point visitors are usually asked which countries’ gifts they may wish to see. Anyway I would recommend the English, Russian, German, French, Egyptian, Polish, Chinese and Cuban rooms. To me these displays are the best and most interesting. At conclusion of Kim Il Sung Exhibition Hall tour foreign visitors are guided to rear outside ornate viewing area, small refreshments kiosk and souvenir store.

4JamesDanger 5:00 PM May 31, 2018

Fascinating Monument to Ego
As part of our DPRK tour in 2011, we visited here. The place is massive, both buildings for the Great Leader & Dear Leader. I suspect we were only shown the highlights as I don't think it is possible to see absolutely everything there in the few hours we were there. Upon entering the Kim il-Sung hall, the only female tourist in our group was given the honour of opening the ornate exterior door to enter the place. As is the case of many places you visit in this country, photography is forbidden inside. We also had to put blue cloth shoe coverings on over top of our shoes. As you move from room to room, motion sensors automatically turn on lights & a local guide gives an explanation of what you are looking at while your assigned tour guide translates into your own language. Displays inside vary from the ornate & bizarre (stuffed crocodile holding a tray of glassware) to the very simple, like coffee table books. The gifts & displays come from countries all over the world. After touring through the Great Leader's hall, we were shown out onto the balcony & enjoyed tea & pastries for a nominal cost of a few RMB or Euros. The view from the balcony of the surrounding countryside is beautiful. This would be an amazing place to do some hiking through the pristine wilderness. Later we walked across the compound to the Dear Leader's hall. One of the gifts there is a basketball autographed by Michael Jordan, presented by Madeline Albright when she visited North Korea in 2000. The place is basically a propaganda display honouring the massive Personality Cult of the Kims but it is a fascinating look into the mindset of this very odd society.