VOL.43 · August 31 · 2018
Trip
Profound Changes to Our Daily Lives Brought by Innovations, Where You can Meet Historic Moments of These Innovations
Samsung Innovation Museum (S/I/M)
Home electronic appliances, such as cell phones, televisions, washing machines, and personal computers, have already become an integral part of our daily lives. As familiar as they have become, they seem to be no longer new to us. Having said that, such advances in home appliances are the outcomes of a series of innovations in the electronics industry, and have brought innovative and fundamental changes to our daily lives. The Samsung Innovation Museum is where the past, present, and future of the electronics industry coexist, along with the history of innovations made by Samsung Electronics as it leads us to the future. This unique place provides visitors with ideas of how innovations have been changing our lives and what the future of the electronics industry looks like from the company’s perspective.
01
Time Travel to Encounter Value of Innovation and Future of Innovation
Imagine the times when almost every home had at least one landline phone, people used IBM 286 or 380 personal computers, the era of color television had just begun, and brick-sized cell phones were first commercialized. All these events, the latest only 10 years ago, feel like a very long time ago. This reflects the speed at which the electronics industry develops and technological innovations proceed.
From the discovery of electricity to the recent development of smart devices, the electronics industry has created new value for human life via consistent innovations. The rationale behind the establishment of the Samsung Innovation Museum lies in our desire to remember the history of the electronics industry, which has brought fundamental changes to our lives, and further to predict its future. The museum also keeps records of the company’s challenges and advances. The museum, first opened to the public in April 2014, has 5 stories with a total area of 10,950 m2. It is located in Samsung Digital City, Suwon, and is four times larger than Samsung D'light, the company’s global exhibition space.
The beauty of the Samsung Innovation Museum is that it contains almost entirely electronics products, from those developed in the 17th century to innovative, cutting-edge products that will lead the way in the future. While thoroughly appreciating these exhibits, you might find yourself feeling as if you were traveling in time.
02
Following the Footsteps of Samsung Electronics in the History
of the Electronics Industry
The Samsung Innovation Museum has four exhibition halls, as follows: Seeds of Innovation, Core of Innovation, Inspiring Innovation, and History of Samsung. The tour proceeds, starting from the 5th floor down to the 3rd, the 2nd, and the 1st floor.
The first exhibition hall on the 5th floor is named Seeds of Innovation. In this hall, audiences can track the origin of the electronics industry while looking at various exhibits in the fields of lighting, electricity, communications, electronic appliances, and radio. Notably, there are rare exhibits displayed, such as electronic products developed in the 17th century, electrical light bulbs developed and commercialized by Thomas Edison, Morse code telegraphs, black-and-white televisions, and the world’s first storage battery, and a Leiden jar. Also, there are exhibits about great inventors, along with interesting anecdotes about them, who initiated innovations in the electronics sector, such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Michael Faraday.
Moving down to the 3rd floor, one can find the hall of Core of Innovation. In contrast to the previous hall, there are exhibits that are relatively familiar to us. The hall is composed of the Semiconductor Zone, Display Zone, and Mobile Zone. Each zone shows at a glance how information innovation has advanced and corresponding industries have developed.
The hall of Inspiring Innovation on the 2nd floor teaches audiences about Samsung Electronics’ commitment to innovation, through which the company aims to further human happiness and create new value. Audiences can enjoy firsthand experiences of the era of Inspiring Innovation. The company currently offers both the S/I/M Theater, where the themes of the museum are conveyed using images, and the Product Gallery, where the company’s flagship products and solutions are displayed.
Finally, the hall of History of Samsung on the 1st floor introduces the company’s history of challenges and innovations, along with its corporate philosophy and vision.
03
In Hope that Firsthand Experience Here Will Lead to the
Creation of New Value
The Samsung Innovation Museum has been drawing intense attention from not only Korean people but also foreign tourists. The museum provides audiences with various opportunities to enjoy firsthand the experience of Samsung Electronics’ cutting-edge IT solutions. Simply speaking, it is a place filled with sights and experiences waiting to be discovered. Such experiences will provide children with the opportunity to freely picture the future of our society and prepare themselves for that future with great ambition.
This is why the museum has been putting great effort into designing various firsthand experience activities, as well as preparing quality exhibits. Audiences can learn about the company’s brand, corporate philosophy, and technologies through these learning and firsthand activities, such as the Family IoT Class, S/I/M Semiconductor Research Laboratory for Children, S/I/M Mobile Research Laboratory for Children, Electronics Industry History Tour, and IT Workshop for Adolescents. Those who want to participate in these programs can apply year-round through the S/I/M website. Also, invitation programs, which aim to promote communication and mutual exchange with local communities, have been prepared, thereby making the benefits of the museum available to as many people as possible.
Reservations must be made in advance (docent-led tour) to enjoy the tour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Reservations are not required (free tour) if you visit the museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Docent-led tours are provided in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish.
As the world is entering into the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the electronics and ICT sectors have become centers of public attention. Isn’t it the right time to visit the Samsung Innovation Museum along with your children? Come and enjoy cutting-edge IT solutions while glimpsing future society. Your firsthand experience here will be a starting point for you to create new innovations and value in the distant future.
