Program run in partnership with Purme Foundation and Seoul Museum of Art becomes first Korean museum initiative to receive CIMAM's Outstanding Museum Practice Award

"Naranhi Boneun Misulgwan" (Museum Side by Side), a cultural accessibility program sponsored by Volvo Car Korea and operated in partnership with the Purme Foundation and the Seoul Museum of Art, has become the first Korean museum program to receive the 2026 Outstanding Museum Practice Award from the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art. [Volvo Car Korea]
"Naranhi Boneun Misulgwan" (Museum Side by Side), a cultural accessibility program sponsored by Volvo Car Korea and operated in partnership with the Purme Foundation and the Seoul Museum of Art, has become the first Korean museum program to receive the 2026 Outstanding Museum Practice Award from the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art. [Volvo Car Korea]

Volvo Car Korea announced Friday that "Naranhi Boneun Misulgwan" (Museum Side by Side), a cultural accessibility program it sponsors in collaboration with the Purme Foundation and the Seoul Museum of Art, has become the first Korean museum program to receive the 2026 Outstanding Museum Practice Award (OMPA) from the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art.

The Outstanding Museum Practice Award was established in 2021 to identify and share innovative museum practices with the global community. It is administered by the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, known as CIMAM, which counts more than 350 member institutions across 94 countries and brings together over 1,000 museum professionals for international dialogue and exchange.

The program, held at the Seoul Museum of Art's Buk-Seoul branch, has been running since 2024. It brings together people with and without disabilities to experience exhibitions and share different sensory perspectives — a model CIMAM recognized as a new standard for inclusive museum practice.

CIMAM particularly praised the program for its clear direction and sustainability, noting that it is not a one-off initiative limited to a single institution or region but a replicable model that other museums around the world can adapt to their own contexts.

"This award is especially meaningful because it shows that the new perspective on accessibility proposed by Museum Side by Side has resonated internationally," said Seoul Museum of Art Director Choi Eun-ju. "It is a valuable encouragement to keep up the efforts we have made in building diverse relationships between the museum and society. We will continue to expand these practices going forward."

Museum Side by Side is a project that Volvo Car Korea co-sponsors with the Purme Foundation to improve access to culture and the arts for people with disabilities. The Seoul Museum of Art joined as a partner in 2026.

Volvo Car Korea has worked with the Purme Foundation since 2024 to broaden cultural and artistic opportunities for people with disabilities and their families. The company has also maintained a decade-long partnership with the foundation to provide customized assistive devices that support mobility for children and teenagers with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Volvo Car Korea topped the European brand rankings in after-sales service satisfaction for seven consecutive years in the 2026 Automotive Planning Survey released by research firm Consumer Insight.

In this year's survey, Volvo Car Korea scored 858 points in after-sales service satisfaction, up 5 points from 853 the previous year. The score significantly exceeded both the import vehicle average of 816 points and the industry average of 808 points. The result extends the company's streak as the top European brand in the category every year since 2020.


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