The Best museums and art gallery to visit in Vietnam

Vietnam is a beautiful country with a long history and amazing traditions, beautiful nature and amazing art. No matter whether you go there for its historical temple, city life, or rural beauty, Vietnam has much to offer. Before planning a visit, it is crucial to have your Vietnam visa in order since it is mandatory for most visitors to Vietnam. As is often the case, once you’re in the country, don’t miss the opportunity to visit some of the most famous museums and art galleries that offer a rich insight into the culture and history of Vietnam and bright artistic life.

Here are the best museums and art galleries to visit in Vietnam, offering a deep dive into the nation’s fascinating cultural and artistic heritage:

1. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology – Hanoi

Opened in 1995 the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is in Hanoi and focuses on the 54 ethnic groups of the country. It displays the cultural and ethnic character of the Vietnamese population and also their physical appearance with the help of artefacts, clothing, and other tools used by various groups of people belonging to Vietnam. It also has an open ground where life size models of houses of different ethnic groups are constructed. These homes can be visited and help tourists understand the rural life of the Vietnam of the past as well as the present.

Why Visit:

• Obtain an overall view of ethnic groups in Vietnam.

• Visit traditional houses and study the ways of life of ethnic people.

• Attend cultural fairs and cultural dances or other forms of cultural troupes.

2. Fine Arts Museum (Hanoi)

The Fine Arts Museum of Hanoi houses one of the most comprehensive art collections of Vietnam, from the ancient time. Traditional sculptures from prehistoric to modern paintings are exhibited at the museum in order to create an understanding of art development in Vietnam. Among such exhibits, there are lacquer paintings, woodblock prints as well as religious sculptures illustrating Vietnamese religious and artistic practices. Fans of art will have a good time strolling around the building and tracing the combination of the classical and the contemporary art.

Why Visit:

• Vietnamese art that includes sculptures, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, and other art works from the early ages to modern times can be seen here.

• Find out how the traditional art of lacquer paintings, characteristic of Vietnam, is created.

• Locate religious sculptures that depict spiritual history of the country.

3. Warr Remnants Museum 

The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is an important place to visit if you want to get an idea of Vietnam’s history in the 20th century. The museum is devoted to the Vietnam War that is also called the American War; on presenting numerous pictures, documents, and pieces of war equipment, it gives a rather pessimistic outlook on the war. There are also things such as weapons, tanks, planes and even accounts from both the military and the general population of the country. The museum is dedicated primarily to the effects of war on the Vietnamese people and for that reason it is very affective.

Why Visit:

• Get more informed about the Vietnam War and the consequences that the war had on the population.

• Photographs, war relics, pictures, airplanes, tanks, etc.

• Find out about the Vietnam’s push for peace and reconciliation.

4. Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Ho Chi Minh City

This stunning colonial architecture houses one of Vietnam’s biggest art galleries. The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts has a rich collection of art works that range from the contemporary, sculpture, ceramics etc. On three floors, the museum offers paintings, lacquer, and statues that are characteristic of Vietnam’s artwork throughout the years. Contemporary Vietnamese art is also displayed in the museum through live exhibitions of artists that are new in the country.

Why Visit:

• Visit one of the biggest galleries in Vietnam and examine art works of various historical epochs.

• Enjoy the colonial design of the museum.

• Get to know the latest trends in Vietnamese art through changing exhibitions.

5. Ho Chi Minh Museum (Hanoi)

This museum in Hanoi is devoted to Vietnam’s iconic figure, Ho Chi Minh; the museum reveals some aspects of his life and work. The exhibits in the museum show the life of Ho Chi Minh from a young boy who wanted to be a patriot to a man who led the Vietnamese independence movement. Photography, things owned by Ho Chi Minh and the actual letters penned down by him are some of the other features of the museum. Any Vietnam history or independence movement enthusiast would be wise to stop by this museum.

Why Visit:

• Read about Ho Chi Minh and what he has done.

• View the relics and other items that are associated with Vietnam’s struggle for independence.

• There is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum; it is sacrilege not to pay respects to the leader.

6. It is Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture.

For anyone interested in getting a peep into the old Vietnam, there is a museum on Cham Sculpture in Da Nang loaded with sculptures of the Champa civilization that existed in central and southern Vietnam between the 2nd and 17th centuries. The museum contains the biggest collection of Cham sculptures consisting of carved and sculptured figures and gods with weapons, cars and animals of Hindu mythology. The museum is a great insight into the artistic accomplishment of the Cham people and their impact on the art of Vietnam.

Why Visit:

• Find out more about the Champa civilization and its role in the formation of modern Vietnam.

• Visit the largest Cham sculptures in the world.

• Take a tour at the Champa to explore its religion and cultural side through its art.

7. Ho Chi Minh Museum of Vietnamese History

The comprehensive collection of Vietnamese history can be found in the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City. Starting from the paleolithic period to Nguyen dynasty, this museum gives a historical tour of Vietnam. There are several galleries in the museum: Stone Age gallery, Bronze Age gallery and feudal dynasties of Vietnam. The museum has a rich collection of artefacts that can be organised into ceramics, jewelries and weapons and due to the collection; it gives a rich historical information about Vietnam.

Why Visit:

• Learn all the history of Vietnam starting from the prehistoric period, through the Chinese domination and French colonization to the present day.

• Discover unique collections that reflect Vietnam’s significant events in culture and history.

• Discover more on Nguyen dynasty and how it impacted the development of the nation.

Conclusion

Vietnamese musesums and art galleries are not just buildings that contain a bunch of relics and paintings but are truly a look into the Vietnamese spirit. If it is the ethnical richness of the population, the beauty of the Cham sculptures, or the tragic history of the Vietnam War that interests you, the museums and galleries listed below will help to broaden your outlook on Vietnam. Remember to include these cultural attractions to your list to get more of Vietnam’s heritage and art.