Vietnam Through Museum Doors: Exploring Heritage, War, and Art

Vietnam’s vibrant tapestry of history, culture, and art is best experienced not only on its bustling streets and scenic landscapes but also within the walls of its museums. From ancient relics and war memorials to contemporary art exhibitions, Vietnam’s museums offer profound insights into the country’s complex past and evolving identity. Let’s take a look at some of the best galleries that you might include in your Vietnam tours.

1. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (Hanoi)

- Address: Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM (Closed Mondays and Tet Holiday)

- Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND/person

Opened in 1997, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is dedicated to highlighting the cultural practices of the country’s 54 officially recognized ethnic groups. The exhibits are divided into indoor and outdoor sections. Inside, visitors find clothing, tools, musical instruments, and traditional artifacts accompanied by photographs and videos that illustrate the daily lives, rituals, and customs of various ethnic communities. The outdoor section is especially captivating, featuring life-size replicas of traditional houses from groups such as the Tay, Ede, Hmong, and Bahnar.

2. War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)

- Address: 28 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

- Opening Hours: Daily, 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM

- Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND/person

Focused primarily on the American War (as it is called in Vietnam), the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City presents a visceral portrayal of the conflict through graphic images of war atrocities, Agent Orange victims, and accounts of international anti-war movements. Outside the building, tanks, helicopters, and fighter planes sit as remnants of war machinery. The museum’s content can be difficult to digest, especially for Western visitors and children, but it serves a critical role in educating the public about the costs of war and the importance of peace.

3. Vietnam Military History Museum (Hanoi)

- Address: Km 6+500, Thang Long Avenue, Tay Mo Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Closed Mondays and Fridays)

- Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND/person

This museum is a significant cultural and educational landmark that showcases Vietnam’s military heritage and the nation's fight for independence. Opened to the public in November 2024, the modern facility spans over 386,000 square meters with a centerpiece of the 45-meter Victory Tower and houses more than 150,000 artifacts, including key items like MiG-21 fighter jets and the T-54B tank. Through modern displays of 3D mapping and interactive technology, the Vietnam Military History Museum provides a detailed look at Vietnam’s key military campaigns and figures.

4. Hoa Lo Prison Museum (Hanoi)

- Address: 1 Hoa Lo Street, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

- Opening Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

- Entrance Fee: 50,000 VND/person

Known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the American War, the Hoa Lo Prison Museum offers a sobering perspective on Vietnam’s colonial and wartime history. The place memorializes the suffering of Vietnamese political prisoners under French rule and later, American POWs. With its preserved prison cells, gallows, and personal stories of inmates, a visit to the museum is both a haunting and illuminating experience. It reminds visitors of the brutal realities of conflict and the enduring human spirit in the face of oppression.

5. Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (Hanoi)

- Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Closed Mondays)

- Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND/person

Housed in a former colonial girls’ school, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi contains works spanning thousands of years, from ancient Champa carvings and Buddhist sculptures to modern revolutionary art and contemporary pieces. The art gallery is well-organized by period and medium, with sections dedicated to lacquer painting, silk art, woodcuts, and folk crafts. It also highlights the evolution of Vietnamese art as it responded to historical changes, from feudal rule and colonialism to modern-day nation-building. The museum is a must-visit for art lovers and cultural enthusiasts alike.

6. Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities (Hue)

- Address: 3 Le Truc Street, Hue City, Thua Thien-Hue Province

- Opening Hours: 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM (March 16 to October 15) and 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM (October 16 to March 15)

- Entrance Fee: 50,000 VND/person

As the former imperial capital of Vietnam, Hue holds a unique place in the country’s history. The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities, located within the grounds of the ancient citadel, showcases a glimpse into the opulence and sophistication of Vietnam’s last monarchy, the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). The exhibition hall houses royal costumes, ceramics, furniture, weaponry, and ritual objects used in the imperial court. Particularly noteworthy are the gold-inlaid items and intricately embroidered robes of emperors and empresses.

7. Museum of Cham Sculpture (Da Nang)

- Address: 2 Thang 9 Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang

- Opening Hours: Daily, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

- Entrance Fee: 60,000 VND/person

From the second to seventeenth centuries, the Champa Kingdom ruled parts of southern and central Vietnam, leaving behind a legacy of rich Hindu-inspired art and architecture. Today, visitors can find the world’s largest collection of Cham antiquities at the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang. Founded by French archaeologists in 1915, the museum contains over 300 sandstone sculptures and friezes dating from the 7th to the 15th century. These pieces, many of which were discovered at temple ruins like My Son and Tra Kieu, depict deities, dancers, and mythological creatures with remarkable craftsmanship.

8. Ho Chi Minh Museum (Hanoi)

- Address: 19 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 8:00-12:00 AM & 1:30-4:30 PM (Closed Mondays and Fridays)

- Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND/person

Dedicated to the life and legacy of Vietnam’s revolutionary leader, the Ho Chi Minh Museum is both a memorial and a symbolic representation of the nation’s 20th-century struggles. Adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Presidential Palace, the museum’s architecture itself is evocative, with a lotus-inspired design symbolizing purity and enlightenment. Inside, visitors find a mixture of biography, historical documents, and artistic interpretations of Ho Chi Minh’s role in Vietnam’s journey to independence.

Vietnam’s museums serve as gateways into its soul—places where the triumphs, tragedies, and transformations of the nation are preserved and presented. Whether you’re admiring centuries-old Cham sculptures in Da Nang, standing beneath warplanes in Hanoi, or tracing the impact of colonialism in a dim prison corridor, you’ll find each museum both educational and emotionally resonant.

If you'd like to include one or more museum visits in your Vietnam family tour or any tour of Southeast Asia, just let our travel consultants know—we’ll help you create an unforgettable journey filled with meaningful memories.