A mobile robot includes: a sensor unit configured to sense an object present in a traveling direction; a camera configured to, in response to sensing of the obstacle by the sensor unit, photograph the obstacle; a data unit configured to store information regarding a plurality of obstacles; a controller configured to control an operation by recognizing the obstacle based on the information stored in the data unit; a travel unit configured to perform a designated operation according to a control command from the controller; and a speaker configured to output a designated sound according to a control command from the controller, wherein the controller comprises: an obstacle recognizer configured to analyze an image of the obstacle photographed by the camera, compare the image of the obstacle with data stored in the data unit, recognize the obstacle, and determine a type of the obstacle; and a motion controller configured to, in response to a type of the obstacle recognized by the obstacle recognizer, perform a designated operation according to setting stored in the data, and accordingly, it is possible to determine a type of an obstacle by recognizing the obstacle, effectively cope with obstacles by performing different operations according to types of the obstacles, improve cleaning efficiency, enable the mobile robot to recognize an obstacle and determine a type thereof within a short period of time, allow a user to modify an operation responsive to the type of the obstacle, and perform an operation suitable for characteristics of the obstacle, an area to be cleaned, or a surrounding environment.