Top 10 Museums You Should Not Miss in Vietnam

The history of Vietnam began in the Old Stone Age, with the emergence of the Dong Shan culture around 600 years ago, and among the more important ethnic groups were the Luo Yue people. In the early 19th century, the Ruan Dynasty reunified the whole country. It was called 'Vietnam' at the beginning of the 19th century. In the late 19th century, France gradually annexed Vietnam and colonized it. It was dominated by Japan during World War II. In 1945, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded in the North of Vietnam. In 1975, North Vietnam unified the whole country, and in 1976, it was renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. After 1986, the Vietnamese government promoted innovation and opening-up.

After a long period of development, Vietnam has absorbed diverse cultures and customs, and the most effective way for future generations to understand the country's history is to rely on historical records. So where do we get these information? The best answer is to visit the local museums. So, today, let’s review the Top 10 Best Museums in Vietnam, to see what’s fascinating about them.

Ho Chi Minh Museum

The Ho Chi Minh Museum is located in Hanoi, which was completed in 1991. It is a magnificent museum with abundant pictures, objects and modern decorations. It shows Ho Chi Minh's activities from the time he left the country in search of service to the time he wrote his historic will to the Vietnamese people.

The Ho Chi Minh Memorial Hall mainly exhibits the life stories, manuscripts, articles used by President Ho Chi Minh, gifts from the Vietnamese people and foreign friends and other lists and rings. The exhibition here is quite full of artistic atmosphere. The lighting design of the exhibition area is also unique, by using a large number of trial background paintings, and the allegorical devices. These settings seem to show to visitors that Ho Chi Minh was not only a great statesman, but also a romantic poet and painter.

The museum has an impressive collection of exhibits, including memorabilia, military orders, and rare photographs of the early days of the Vietnamese Communist Party, as well as many valuable historical items from the revolution of August and October and the struggle against fascism and imperialism led by Ho Chi Minh.

Location: 19 Ngoc Ha St | Ba Dinh District, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Opening Hours: Except Monday & Friday Closed, Others: 8:00-11:00; 13:30-16:00

Museum of Vietnamese Revolution

The Museum of Vietnamese Revolution is located in Hanoi, it was established in August, 1959. It is a two-story building built during the French colonial period. It was used by the Vietnamese Ministry of Trade. It was later redesigned into 30 exhibition halls, with more than 40,000 pieces historical exhibits. Behind the glass showcases, it shows everything from weapons and flags that used by the revolutionaries, to the Vietnamese peasants’ everyday utensils. There are several statues of Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionary leaders, such as Tran Phy.

The museum is listed so many artifacts, and most of them are very fabulous. Compared to the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, the artifacts are not fully powered the revolution, and with less emotional pitch than the War Remnants Museum. However, if you go to Hanoi, it is also worth seeing.

Location: 216 Tran Quang Khai, Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi 110000
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 8:00-12:00; 13:30-17:00

Vietnam Military History Museum

Where can we thoroughly understand Vietnam's historic victories in two confrontations with French colonialists and American imperialism in its history? The answer is the Vietnam Military History Museum. It is one of the most magnificent buildings in Hanoi, a mixture of Eastern and Western architectural styles. Here you can see ancient Vietnamese imperial edicts and official documents written in Chinese characters, Vietnamese ancient furniture, architectural methods and various works of art. The Vietnam History Museum is one of the seven museums in Vietnam and the headquarters of the war museum system. Established on December 22, 1959, the museum is located in downtown Hanoi, 600 meters east of the Ho Chi Minh Memorial, covering an area of about 10,000 square meters. The museum mainly introduces the ancient history of Vietnam. The exhibition area mainly includes six areas: the birth of the Vietnamese nation and the People's Army of Vietnam, the struggle between Vietnam and the French colonialists, the struggle between Vietnam and the attention of the American Empire, the road of the modernization of the People's Army of Vietnam, the unity and invincibility of the Vietnamese people and the army, and the display of weapons and equipment. The Vietnam History Museum has a variety of cultural relics covering the cultural evolution of Vietnam since 3,300 years ago. Among the exhibits are stone tools, ancient bronze ware, stone tablets, bronze drums, Champa art, pottery and costumes of ethnic minorities. The library on the third floor at the rear of the museum also has a collection of French colonial books and rich research materials. The Den Hung, directly opposite the museum, is also a shrine to Vietnam's founding monarch and his ancestors. Through these exhibits, visitors can get a general picture of the Vietnamese people's unremitting efforts to achieve peace, and vividly describe the country's arduous journey from birth to growth, to victory, independence, freedom and peace. Most of you who know Vietnam's history will know at some point about the country's history of fighting French and American invaders, so visiting the museum is a must-stop on your itinerary.

Location: 28A Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi
Opening Hours: Monday & Friday Closed, Other times: 8:00-11:30; 13:00-16:30

Air Force and Air Defence Museum

VAD-AF Museum belongs to the Political Department of the Vietnamese Air Defense and Air Force, formerly known as the traditional house of the air military established in 1958. The museum which was ranked second in the Vietnam museum system was built in 2004 and inaugurated on August 28, 2007. It preserves images, materials, artifacts showing the exploits and the process from founding to development of Vietnam air defense and air force as well as the remarkable air combats.

The museum includes indoor and outdoor display sections. The indoor section displays more than 3,000 artifacts. The indoor exhibition is designed solemn dome representing a symbol of the Vietnamese peaceful sky. In the middle of the building is Ho Chi Minh’s statute.

The outdoor section displays 73 artifacts, including radar, missile, air-crafts and so on. Most of the weapons were used in the past battle. For example, the US made 90mm anti-aircraft which was used in the first air combat victory on August 5, 1964.

In addition, the important milestones of Vietnam air defense and air force and historical events have been shown in other exhibition zones as well.

Location: 173 Truong Chinhm Khurong Mai, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi
Opening Hours: Friday Closed, Other times: 8:00-11:00; 13:00-16:00

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

The Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology is located in the capital city of Hanoi, about 8 kilometers from the city center, with an area of 3.27 hectares. It is recognized as the best modern museum in Vietnam and one of the famous attractions in Hanoi.

It was built in 1987 and completed in 1995. It was officially opened to the public on November 12, 1997. The museum displays a variety of artworks and daily necessities, including traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, conical hats, kerosene lamps, etc., supplemented by maps, videos and models, to show visitors the real and vivid cultural development history and living customs of the Vietnamese people; There is an ancient hut made of wooden posts, about 3 meters above the ground. Visitors need to climb up a sloping wooden ladder in front of the house to the platform of the bamboo hut, and then wear the slippers into the house, which is very unique. The roof of this old hut is laid by thick hay, and the ridge is 70 degrees between the front and back, which makes the hut unusually tall. The house is furnished with all kinds of daily necessities used by the Vietnamese people. Both the floor and inner wall of the hut are made of smooth bamboo, and the bottom of the bamboo floor is supported by thick sticks. It is said that it is designed to adapt to the climate of Vietnam, with originality.

Location: D. Nguyen Van Huyen, Quan Hoa, Cau Giay, Ha Noi 100000
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8:30-17:30

Vietnam Women's Museum

The Vietnamese Women's Museum, an extraordinary place that showcases photographs, history, and artifacts made by women from all over Vietnam. The exhibit also features many women who played important roles in the war against the United States and its Allies. There is a lot of information here about the plight of Vietnamese women. There is no welfare system in Vietnam, so if the man of a family can't work, the woman seems to be the breadwinner. It is highly recommended that you visit this place and master the culture.

The museum provides a great historical and cultural overview of Vietnamese women's activities. From an in-depth understanding of local clothing styles, varieties and production methods, to the huge role women played in the military during the French and American War. This is a truly inspiring museum with many galleries that showcase the different cultures of ethnic minorities by showing women's daily work scenes, family life and marriage customs.

There is an entire floor of the museum is devoted to exhibits related to women's resistance to the French and participation in the Vietnam War. The role of women in the social and family spheres in Vietnam was also illustrated. There are also beautiful traditional Vietnamese clothes and accessories, and this is a great museum in Hanoi. Seeing all this in this museum gives you a different perspective on Vietnamese women, so it's worth coming.

Location: 36 P. Ly Thuong Kiet, Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 8:00-17:00

Vietnam Fine Art Museum

The National Art Museum of Vietnam, is one of the Vietnam's five national museums. The National Art Museum of Vietnam is located in the downtown area of Hanoi. It was founded in 1966. At that time, Vietnam was still in the midst of the bitter war. It is said that during the Vietnam War, an American collector took a fancy to a masterpiece of Vietnamese lacquer painting, and he was prepared to buy this work for hundreds of thousands of dollars. After the Vietnamese artists knew this news, they signed a joint letter to the government, asking the country to rescue this national treasure. The Vietnamese government did not disappoint. Even in a very difficult national economy, it spent the same amount of money from the state Treasury to collect the artwork, which is now an important part of the collection here. After listening to this story, you can't wait to enter the museum to visit, let's go and have a look! The main building of the art museum here is divided into three floors. The works of art here are classified according to the age, displaying prehistoric artworks, early Vietnamese artworks and modern Vietnamese artworks respectively. Although some works here are changed frequently, the overall display pattern remains the same, so you can intuitively feel the development history of Vietnamese art with distinctive ethnic customs. After viewing the Vietnam art history exhibition in the main building, we can also visit the temporary exhibition with contemporary atmosphere in the exhibition hall on the first floor of the sub-building. This is the only exhibition hall of the National Museum of Vietnam to host foreign exhibitions, and the requirements for the artistic quality and academic level of the works on display are very strict. The exhibition hall is used for foreign art exhibitions and contemporary Vietnamese art exhibitions, especially those of Vietnamese youth.

Although the National Art Museum of Vietnam is small in area, it is displayed in a scientific and reasonable way, it reflects the development of Vietnamese fine arts from ancient times to the present. Visitors can know about history of Vietnamese art, and the representative works in different historical periods. The temporary exhibition provides an opportunity for people to learn about the latest trends of contemporary art creation in Vietnam. It is unique among many national art galleries in Southeast Asia.

Saigon War Remnants Museum

The Vietnam War Remnants Museum was originally called the American War Crimes Museum. After the restoration of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States, it was renamed the Vietnam War Relics Museum. The museum grounds are littered with the remains of heavy weapons used in the Vietnam War, tanks, artillery shells, fighter jets and more. The pavilion features pictures of the crimes committed by American troops during the Vietnam War and international support for Vietnam, including the anti-war situation in the United States at that time.

The Vietnam War was the war with the largest number of American participants and the most significant influence after the Second World War, and finally the United States lost in the Vietnam War. The People's Army of Vietnam and the South Vietnam National Liberation Front eventually overthrew the Republic of Vietnam and unified the whole country.

The war museum is divided into several sections, with the space outside dedicated to large pieces of American military equipment captured or shot down by the Vietnamese army, such as helicopters, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, and other vehicles. The exhibition is divided into several sections. The main part introduces the origin of the war and displays a lot of information, charts and materials at that time. Through these pictures, visitors can feel the ferocity and cruelty of the war, at the same time, they also warned future generations to cherish the hard-won happiness of life.

Location: 28 Vo Van Tan, Phuong 6, Quan 3, Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh 700000
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 7:30-17:00

Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture

The Museum of Cham Sculpture is located in Da Nang, it was built in 1915 with the support of the French Institute for the Far East. It has the largest collection of Cham sand and stone sculptures in the world, with a collection of more than 300 pieces of cultural relics from the 7th century to the 16th century. It is called the treasure of Da Nang, a must-go place.

The Cham have a mysterious history, originating from the Indian ethnic group, which established a prosperous and powerful Cham kingdom in central Vietnam from the 2nd to 14th centuries AD. Like Cambodia's Angkor dynasty, the kingdom of Champo, founded in the 15th century by the Le Dynasty, faded into the jungle until 1885, when a Frenchman stumbled upon a site in the Vietnamese jungle that had been buried for centuries. The Cham now has more than 50,000 and is one of Vietnam's ethnic minorities.

The Cham Sculpture Museum is a yellow Western-style building by the sea. The porch pattern is open. Standing in the courtyard, you can feel the sea breeze and see some of the sculptures in the museum. The sculpture with the texture of sand and stone has the natural roughness and delicacy of both opposition and harmony. Each piece is a work of art with exquisite nature, both realistic and exquisite, and imaginative interest.

The Cham Sculpture Museum mainly exhibits sculptures and works of art from DONG DOUNG, MY SON, THAP MAM and TRA KIEU. Hundreds of sculptures and works of art are exquisite and each one of them is fabulous.

Location: So 02 D. 2 Thang 9, Binh Hien, Hai Chau, Da Nang 550000
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 7:30-11:00; 13:00-17:00

Museum of Oceanography Nha Trang

Established in 1923, Nha Trang National Marine Museum is the earliest Marine research center in Vietnam, where more than 60,000 specimens of Marine life are preserved. In addition to displaying all kinds of knowledge about oceanography and themed stamps, specimens of various large Marine creatures can be seen, and there is an aquarium in the basement.

The museum housed in a Marine institute in a French colonial-era building, the museum attracts visitors from home and abroad every year, especially children. In addition to displaying various knowledge about oceanography and themed stamps, the museum displays specimens of large Marine creatures such as manatees and whale sharks. Not far from the ticket hall, there are lion fish, sharks, seahorses, clown fish, sea turtles and anemones for visitors to enjoy up close. In the exhibition hall of Marine instruments, the exhibits are instruments, equipment and various fishing tools used by famous Marine scientists during their investigations. The Practical Marine exhibition hall displays economically valuable fish, sea animals, seabird meat, animal oil, skin and chemical agents caught from various oceans.

Although the aquarium in the basement of the Marine Museum is not big, it also holds a variety of rare Marine animals and plants, which makes people sigh at the wonder of the Marine world.

Location: 1 Cau Da, Nha Trang
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 6:00-18:00

When you come to Vietnam, you can not only enjoy the fantastic sights, but also you can learn their culture and history. The best place to know about them, is to go to the local museum. The above 10 best museums are really worth to have a visit, you can learn a lot of knowledge about this country. In addition, it is a good thing that you can enrich yourself and also broaden your horizon.

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