Completed in 2015, Korean Heritage Room was the 30th nationality room built in the Cathedral of Learning (Room 304). The room is modeled after Myeongnyundang (“Hall of Enlightenment”), the main lecture hall of Sungkyunkwan, the Royal Academy of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty period. The room houses various artifacts, including a prince’s matriculation book from the 1800s, traditional stationery items, such as ink stone, brush, and paper, and panels about Hangul, Korean alphabet, so that visitors can familiarize themselves with Korea’s culture and education. This room is used as a permanent space to promote Korea to visitors as well as a lecture venue for students of the University of Pittsburgh. In 2016, the Korean Heritage Room (KHR) Committee was established as a member of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs (NRIEP) at the University of Pittsburgh. The KHR Committee organizes or participates in a variety of events to represent Korean culture, and sponsors the NRIEP scholarships to help students of the University of Pittsburgh study abroad in South Korea.
KHR members will be invited to lectures, concerts, festivals, and other events organized or sponsored by the KHR Committee. KHR members can attend committee meetings and cast votes (one per person) in elections.