As a ground where a multitude of people gather to show culture and things and to exchange information, the World Expo has driven human civilization to evolve. Since its commencement in London in 1851, the World Expo has signified modernity after indus...
As a ground where a multitude of people gather to show culture and things and to exchange information, the World Expo has driven human civilization to evolve. Since its commencement in London in 1851, the World Expo has signified modernity after industrial revolution. A successful World Expo has become a means of Western superpowers to boast of national strength and assumed a status as the most efficient medium for exchanging information on the latest things and culture. However, since the latter half of the 20th century, advancement of transportation, communication and mass media has diminished such a status of the World Expo, which in turn has been considered a political means for local development. Due to such changes in the status and characters of the World Expo, recent World Expos tend to be organized in a way that local developmental orientation or application of facilities are determined first so that the facilities can be used properly after the event. That is, a successful World Expo now implies that the event itself is a success to the extent that it takes effects on local development and sustainable activation with its relevant facilities used properly after the event.
The past 20th century was the century of nations, whereas the present 21st century is the century of cities. World-class cities are in pursuit of transformation through diverse strategies with a view to a 'city of creation' fitted with self-sustained creativity.
In May 2012, the World Expo is held in Yeosu Jeollanamdo a second time in Korea. For Yeosu City to soar up as a 'city of creation for marine culture and art' after the Expo, a cultural space needs building for creative human resources. If Yeosu World Expo becomes a chance to present a discourse on such a futuristic city, utilizing Expo-related facilities after the event is to help adopt new cultural assets, which will revive the city and lay a ground for its rebirth as a creative city.
As the most effective way to develop into a futuristic city, a successful Expo and further application of its facilities would first require a plan to use such facilities after the event. In that sense, the present study suggests building a local museum succeeding to the theme and influence of 2012 Yeosu World Expo as a way to successfully use the event and relevant facilities, and seeks other measures to develop the local society in Yeosu City through building cultural infrastructure.
To support the suggestion, the values of the strategy to turn the event facilities into a museum are analyzed here, and the current state of Yeosu City's cultural resources and its policy for cultural development are also analyzed. Besides, a questionnaire survey is used to find out the status of cultural nostalgia among local citizens and their opinions on building a museum using the facilities after the event is over.