After too many weekends stuck at home, our family finally pushed through the tiredness and took a little trip out to Pocheon. The weather was gorgeous, so it felt like the perfect day for it!
I always know we should get the kids out of the house — otherwise they just watch TV all day — but every outing adds up fast, so we tend to put it off. This time we bit the bullet, and here’s my honest Pocheon Art Valley review. It turned out to be a great spot for kids because there’s a bit of everything to experience!
We started at Art Garden 1999 right next door, then headed over to Pocheon Art Valley around 1 p.m.
Pocheon Art Valley: The Basics
Before the full review, here’s the practical info that’s worth knowing before you go.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 234 Art Valley-ro, Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do |
| Hours | Mon–Thu 09:00–19:00 (last entry 18:00) / Fri–Sun 09:00–22:00 (last entry 20:00) |
| Regular closing day | First Tuesday of every month (if it’s a holiday, closed the next day) |
| Parking | Free for visitors |
| Astronomy Science Museum | Included with admission (no extra fee) |
| Pets | No strollers on the monorail; only allowed on board inside a carrier |
Hours and fees can change with the season and events, so it’s worth double-checking the official website (artvalley.pcfac.or.kr) before you go!
Pocheon Art Valley Admission Fees
First, admission. Pocheon residents get in free, so the prices below are what out-of-town visitors pay.
| Category | Individual · Resident | Individual · Non-resident | Group (20+) · Resident | Group (20+) · Non-resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | Free | ₩6,000 | Free | ₩4,000 |
| Youth/Soldier (ages 13–18) | Free | ₩4,000 | Free | ₩3,000 |
| Child (ages 7–12) | Free | ₩2,000 | Free | ₩1,500 |
| Senior (65+) | Free | ₩3,000 | Free | ₩3,000 |
Free admission for: Pocheon residents, people with disabilities, national merit recipients, and preschool children (under age 6).
Pocheon Art Valley Monorail Fees
To get up to the top, you’ll want to ride the monorail, which is charged separately from admission. (Heads up: even Pocheon residents pay full price for the monorail!)
Individual fares
| Category | Resident · Round | Resident · One-way | Non-resident · Round | Non-resident · One-way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult/Soldier | ₩2,500 | ₩2,000 | ₩5,800 | ₩4,800 |
| Youth | ₩2,000 | ₩1,500 | ₩4,800 | ₩3,800 |
| Child | ₩1,500 | ₩1,200 | ₩3,800 | ₩3,100 |
Group fares
| Category | 20+ · Round | 20+ · One-way | 50+ · Round | 50+ · One-way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult/Soldier | ₩4,600 | ₩3,800 | ₩4,000 | ₩3,300 |
| Youth | ₩3,800 | ₩3,000 | ₩3,300 | ₩2,600 |
| Child | ₩3,000 | ₩2,400 | ₩2,600 | ₩2,100 |
Preschool children: Free (except ₩1,000 per person for daycare/kindergarten group rides).
How Long Is the Monorail Wait?
You take the monorail up to the top, and I’d heard the line could get long. With two little ones in tow, I didn’t want to be stuck waiting forever, so the moment we parked I speed-walked straight to the ticket booth.
We grabbed our admission tickets plus round-trip monorail tickets right away and got in line. The waiting room was packed — I’d guess around 40 to 50 people. Each monorail has 2 cars, so it looked like about 40 people could board at once.
We let one go by and waited about 15 more minutes for the next one. It made one stop in the middle before heading up to Pocheon Art Valley. We rode standing, and the trip took a little over 5 minutes.
The kids thought it was neat, but it was so crowded that it was hard to really take in the view on the way up!
Tip for visiting with kids: On weekends, head straight to the ticket booth as soon as you arrive and buy your tickets first. If the line’s long, little ones tire out fast.
The Highlight of the Trip: Cheonjuho Lake
Right after you get off the monorail, walk about 5 minutes to the right and you’ll reach a lake called Cheonjuho. It’s shown up in a few K-dramas. It was formed when spring water and rainwater collected in a pit left over from granite quarrying.
The water isn’t crystal clear — it’s actually a bit murky — but it has this mysterious teal-green color that gives the whole place a really striking mood. The combination of the water and the towering rock cliffs was honestly the highlight of the visit. (Note: swimming and entering the lake are prohibited for water quality and safety reasons.)
Sky Garden — Amazing Views, But It’s All Stairs
After the lake, if you follow the trail up for about 20 minutes, you’ll reach the Sky Garden, where you can take in the view from near the summit. I ambitiously hiked up with my 5-year-old… and ended up carrying them the whole way back down.
The view was fantastic, but it’s a staircase trail, so no strollers. If you’re with young kids, it’s totally fine to skip the Sky Garden and head straight to the Astronomy Science Museum instead!
The Astronomy Science Museum
The path toward the science museum is a nicely maintained mountain trail, so it was easy enough for the kids to walk on their own. You pass a performance hall and, after about a 20-minute walk, you reach the Astronomy Science Museum.
It has 4 floors, but on the day we went the 3rd-floor observation room was closed, so we only saw floors 1 and 2. It’s called a science museum, but it doesn’t have the big, in-depth feel of a place like Gwacheon National Science Museum — it’s a compact museum focused on constellations, telescopes, and basic astronomy info.
Still, it was cool that there’s a museum tucked up in the mountains like that, and it definitely gave the kids something to look at! We tried the thermal camera and did a constellation experience on a projection screen.
Honest take: If a proper science museum is your main goal, I’d look elsewhere. You can see everything here in about 20–30 minutes, and there isn’t a lot of depth. Personally I go to Gwacheon National Science Museum a lot, and it’s far more substantial. (Gwacheon review coming soon!) Also, the observation room is sometimes closed or reservation-only, so you may miss it if your timing’s off — keep that in mind.
Handy Tip: Use Your Pocheon Love Gift Vouchers!
On the way down, I combined the three ₩1,000 Pocheon Love vouchers we got at the ticket booth and treated the kids to an ice cream before heading out.
This is a genuinely useful tip — unless you’re planning to visit other spots around Pocheon, definitely use the vouchers at the snack shop by the Astronomy Science Museum! Otherwise you’ll have nowhere to spend them.
Coming back down, we had to wait for the monorail again — one had just left as we arrived, so it was about a 15-minute wait. This time, though, we got to sit down and ride back comfortably!
Final Verdict — Is It Worth It With Kids?
- Cheonjuho Lake is a must! The grand lake-and-cliff scenery alone made the whole trip worth it.
- Sky Garden is also worth doing, though it’s tough — no strollers, and be ready to carry a small child.
- The Astronomy Science Museum is nice for kids, but don’t expect a full, in-depth science museum.
- For the monorail, plan for a wait on weekends and buy tickets the moment you arrive.
- Don’t forget to spend your Pocheon Love vouchers at the snack shop!
For a family day out, it was a satisfying trip with a nice variety of things to do. That teal-green glow of Cheonjuho is even prettier in person than any photo can capture — so if you’re planning a trip toward Pocheon, this place is well worth a visit! 🌿