Top 10 Most Engaging Museums in Hanoi

Established under Decision No. 1674/QD-TTg dated September 26, 2011 by the Prime Minister of Vietnam based on the merger of the Vietnam History Museum and the Vietnamese Revolution Museum; the National Museum of History is a cultural monument located in the central area of the capital Hanoi, close to many sacred landmarks such as Turtle Tower - Hoan Kiem Lake; The Huc Bridge - Ngoc Son Temple - Pen Tower… The museum preserves, displays, and introduces the history of Vietnam from prehistoric times to the present through an extensive and valuable collection of documents and artifacts, including many national treasures. The National Museum of History is currently preserving and conserving about 200,000 artifacts and historical and cultural documents of Vietnam, including nearly 110,000 documents and artifacts from the prehistoric period to 1945, including antiques and 20 national treasures; many of which are rare collections ranked among the best in comparison with similar museums in the country and region such as collections of artifacts from ancient cultures from the stone age to the early bronze and iron age; Dong Son culture; Ancient Vietnamese pottery; Nguyen Dynasty artifacts; Cham stone carving; Foreign decorative arts such as China, Japan, India, and countries in Southeast Asia… The period of Vietnam's history from the mid-19th century to the present has about 80,000 documents and artifacts about the history of the Vietnamese revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh and the Party leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam through various periods.

The National Museum of History maintains two permanent exhibition systems at 2 locations: No. 1 Trang Tien - Hanoi, displaying the history of Vietnam from prehistoric times to the end of the Nguyen dynasty (1945); at No. 216 Tran Quang Khai - Hanoi, exhibiting the history of Vietnam from the mid-20th century to the present. With the attention of the Party and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in the near future, the National Museum of History will be built as a modern, advanced facility, meeting the needs of a large-scale modern museum at the Tay Ho Tay urban area, Hanoi. This project has been underway for many years and is currently being implemented. The National Museum of History is a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), a founding member of the Association of National Museums of Asia (ANMA), regularly exchanging professional experience, implementing cooperation programs, expanding exchanges with nearly 30 museums in the region and internationally. In 2013, the National Museum of History was honored to host and be the chairman of the 4th ANMA Conference (held in Hanoi in October 2013). The National Museum of History has been honored with many prestigious awards from the Party and the State, including: 1 Ho Chi Minh Medal, 3 Independence Medals, 5 Labor Medals… When visiting the National Museum of History, visitors will have many interesting experiences, learn more about the long-standing history and heroic struggle tradition in the nation-building and defense of the Vietnamese people.

Address: No. 214 Tran Quang Khai and No. 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the national museums and stands at the forefront of the Army Museum system, currently preserving and displaying over 15,000 documents and artifacts, including many unique collections and 4 National Treasures, such as MiG-21 aircraft with serial numbers 4324 and 5121, the Map of the Determination of Ho Chi Minh Campaign, and tank T-54B with serial number 843. The museum is located at 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Dien Bien Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, opposite Lenin Park. According to Decree No. 65/SL-TN, dated November 23, 1945, of President Ho Chi Minh 'On the conservation of cultural heritage', during the period from 1945 to 1954, the Ministry of Defense directed agencies and units to focus on collecting and preserving documents, images, and artifacts. Based on that, at the end of 1954, the Central Military Committee (now the Central Military Committee) issued a policy to build the Army Museum.

The Construction Committee of the Army Museum consists of 13 people with the task of 'Research and collect historical documents, artifacts, and historical relics belonging to the military; organize the collection, arrangement of historical documents, and artifacts systematically; organize the preservation of historical documents and artifacts, while coordinating with localities to guide the preservation of historical relics of the military in localities; study plans and implement presentations, organization of the Army Museum.' Immediately after its establishment, the Construction Committee of the Army Museum began drafting documents on conservation work, museum work to help the Political Department of the General Staff direct the whole army to collect documents, artifacts for both building the unit's tradition room and contributing artifacts to the Museum. With a sense of urgency, under the close guidance of the Head of the Political Department of the General Staff, after more than 3 years of construction and display, on December 21, 1959, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 1959), the Army Museum officially opened to serve visitors. After completing the construction mission and opening the museum, the Construction Committee of the Army Museum was transformed into the Department of Military Museum under the Propaganda Department / General Political Department with the task of 'Receiving, guiding visitors, protecting, preserving artifacts, treasures, minor repairs and renovations to the display system'.

Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

The Hanoi Museum, previously located at 5B Ham Long Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, is a place showcasing and introducing the capital city of Hanoi from its establishment to the present day. Established since 1982, the museum's collection has grown to tens of thousands of artifacts, with the antique collection alone reaching over 7,000. The museum's collection includes stone, bronze, ceramic artifacts from the Ly, Tran, Le, Nguyen dynasties, as well as ceramics from China, Japan. The exhibition areas of the museum are divided into three parts: Hanoi's natural history; Hanoi's history from its establishment to before the August Revolution; Hanoi's history from after the August Revolution in 1945 to the present.

To commemorate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi, a new construction project the new Hanoi Museum was implemented with a significant investment. The new Hanoi Museum is located within the construction area of the National Convention Center of Vietnam in Me Tri Ward, Nam Tu Liem District; with a structure resembling an inverted pyramid, where the 4th floor has the largest area, and the lower floors gradually decrease in size. Designed by the Joint Venture consulting firm GMP - ILAG (Germany); built on a total area of about 54,000 m², 30.7 meters high. The project consists of 4 above-ground floors and 2 basement floors; with a construction area of approximately 12,000 m², a floor area of over 30,000 m² (including basement and roof floors). The museum was inaugurated on October 6, 2010. An estimated 50,000 artifacts are exhibited here.

Address: Pham Hung Street, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi.

The Museum of Vietnamese Women is located at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hang Bai Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, near the center of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. This museum is dedicated to Vietnamese women. The museum opened to the public in 1995 and underwent regular exhibition system updates from 2006 to 2010 to honor Vietnamese women. In addition to the regular exhibition system, the museum also organizes many specialized exhibitions with a new approach of social anthropology, reflecting the development and changes of contemporary society through projects targeting various groups, especially disadvantaged women and children.

The Museum of Vietnamese Women was established in 1987, under the Vietnam Women's Union with the function of researching, preserving, displaying tangible and intangible heritage related to the history and culture of Vietnamese women. Since its inauguration in 1995, the Museum of Vietnamese Women has successfully organized numerous exhibitions serving hundreds of thousands of domestic and international visitors each year. The museum has also developed a collection of over 25,000 artifacts related to Vietnamese women. At the end of 2010, the Museum of Vietnamese Women reopened its regular exhibition system after 4 years of closure for upgrading and adjustment, with three main themes: women in the family, women in history, and women's fashion. The main building of the museum is divided into four areas including regular exhibition, specialized exhibition, discovery room, and souvenir shop. The specialized exhibition is organized near the main building area.

Address: 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most important museums in preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of Vietnam's ethnic communities. The museum is located at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Dien Bien Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, opposite the back of Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam. This building (the museum) was built by the French in the 1930s as a residence for the daughters of French officials from across Indochina who came to Hanoi to study. In 1962, the Vietnamese government entrusted the Ministry of Culture to renovate the building from its Western architectural style by adding details of Vietnamese village architecture to make it a permanent exhibition space for Vietnamese art works. In 1966, the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts was officially inaugurated with a floor area of ​​4200 m² and an exhibition area of ​​1200m². From 1997 to 1999, it was expanded to a total area of ​​4737 m² and an exhibition area of ​​3000m².

Some famous Vietnamese artists with their works displayed here include Nguyen Gia Tri, To Ngoc Van, Tran Van Can, Nguyen Phan Chanh, Luong Xuan Nhi... Many works displayed at the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts are replicas because the originals have been sold or lost. According to Nora Taylor, a Vietnamese art expert at the Art Institute of Chicago, about half of the paintings are replicas. During the Vietnam War, many original copies were evacuated and replica copies were displayed, but after the war, many original copies were not returned to their original location. Currently, the Inventory and Conservation Department is managing nearly 20,000 artifacts, representative art works of Vietnamese art from prehistoric times to the present day. Among them, there are up to 9 national treasures preserved here. Compared to many famous museums in the world, the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts is still modest and youthful. Out of over 20,000 artifacts, only about 2,200 selected artifacts are regularly displayed, and the remaining artifacts are stored and preserved in the storage warehouse.

Address: No. 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh Museum is one of the largest museums in Vietnam. The museum primarily focuses on displaying artifacts and materials related to the life and people of Ho Chi Minh. Located in an area with many historical sites such as: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace Area, One Pillar Pagoda... forming a cluster of attractions attracting visitors from both domestic and international. The museum is located at 19 Ngoc Ha Street, Doi Can Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, behind the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and next to Bach Thao Park. The Ho Chi Minh Museum was built in 1973 in the very area where Uncle Ho read the Declaration of Independence, this project received sincere assistance from the former Soviet Union from design to construction. The 3-story building has a unique corner-cut square shape, in the middle of the entrance is a relief block shaped like a flag leaf with a star and the symbols of the hammer and sickle, expressing the revolutionary spirit of national independence. Surrounding the museum grounds is a spacious and airy space with many green trees, and an artificial lake to regulate the air.

Entering the inner hall of the museum is a bronze full-body bust of President Ho Chi Minh, the statue exudes the dignified demeanor of Uncle Ho, leaving a strong impression on visitors. The museum is displayed according to each period of Uncle Ho's activities. The 1st floor displays artifacts and materials about Ho Chi Minh's biography, prominent revolutionary activities, and the nation-building process according to his will, with exhibition spaces organized according to thematic areas. The 2nd floor is where typical struggles and great victories of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh are displayed, the exhibited artifacts are expanded as a deeper step to understand the themes displayed on the 1st floor. From an overview of the world and Vietnam situation to the significance of the October Revolution in Russia, the significance of Vietnam's participation in the Allies to fight against Fascism, Ho Chi Minh's role in the world revolutionary movement... Finally, there are artifacts depicting Vietnam's image in the era of renewal to the present day.

Address: No. 19 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Vietnam Museum of Nature is a National museum inaugurated in 2004. With only 300m2 area, but here preserves nearly 40,000 different specimens. The museum was established to preserve the precious natural values of Vietnam over the past 3.6 billion years. Before entering the museum, you will be impressed by the lifelike giant dinosaur sculpture right in front of the museum. Besides, the posters introducing the exhibited specimens also stimulate the curiosity of visitors. Stepping inside, you will be amazed and excited by a vast world of living creatures with various species. 40 thousand specimens include animal species such as reptiles, mammals... insect species, fungi, geological samples... are arranged by type.

In the Vietnam Museum of Nature, you also have the opportunity to admire rare and precious species of flora and fauna that you may not have known before, such as moonfish... The museum also utilizes every space to share knowledge information for visitors. On an eye-catching wooden wall, you will encounter an evolutionary tree diagram simulating the natural world with 5 main realms: animals, plants, fungi, precursors, and primitives. In addition to the fauna and flora, here also displays human evolutionary fossil specimens. Beside each exhibition area, there will be a screen to help visitors understand more about the evolution process of the flora and fauna system. Thanks to its novelty and usefulness, the museum attracts nearly 500 visitors every day. Especially young children who are still curious about the world around them.

Address: No. 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.

Museum of Ethnology Vietnam is an institution under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, with functions of scientific research, collection, inventory, preservation, restoration of artifacts and documents about ethnic groups; organizing exhibitions, performances, and other activities to introduce, disseminate, and educate about the historical and cultural values of ethnic groups inside and outside the country; providing research materials on ethnic groups for various fields; training research, professional, and managerial staff in museum anthropology. The museum is located on Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Quan Hoa Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, near Nguyen Khanh Toan Street and across from Nghia Do Park. The museum preserves and displays many cultural artifacts of all 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, including 15,000 artifacts, 42,000 photos, 2190 films, 273 audio tapes of interviews, music, 373 video tapes, and 25 CD-Roms (as of 2000). These artifacts are classified according to various criteria such as ethnicity, function, clothing, jewelry, agricultural tools, fishing tools, weapons, household items, musical instruments, religion-beliefs, wedding ceremonies, funerals, and other social-spiritual activities.

The permanent exhibition area in the Drum Tower introduces all 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. Here, there are many common artifacts in the daily life of the people. Particularly rich are the fabrics of ethnic groups such as skirts, dresses, scarves... decorated with various traditional techniques; woven items, especially various types of baskets, trays, mats, ceremonial artifacts... Along with artifacts, in the exhibition rooms, there are photos and documentary films reflecting all aspects of material and non-material culture, typical aspects of life and creativity of ethnic groups. To fully serve visitors, all information in the display, articles, as well as captions, are made in 3 languages: Vietnamese, English, and French. The museum also prepares many brochures introducing the main content, in Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, German, Japanese... provided free of charge to tourists. In the outdoor area, there are 10 folk architectural works such as: communal houses of the Ba Na people, longhouses of the E De people, stilt houses of the Tay people, half-stilt half-earth houses of the Dao people, low-roofed wooden houses of the Hmong people, tiled houses of the Vietnamese people, low-stilt houses of the Cham people, fence wall houses of the Ha Nhi people, communal tombs of the Giarai people and individual tombs of the Co Tu people. In this green garden area, there are also Khmer boats and water-powered rice hulling mortars of the Dao people.

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

Geological Museum is a specialized museum in Vietnam, preserving specimens related to geology - minerals. The Geological Museum is part of the system of Natural Science Museums in Vietnam and is an official member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The Geological Museum is currently located within the premises of the General Department of Geology and Minerals, at 6 Pham Ngu Lao Street, Phan Chu Trinh Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. After the establishment of the Geological Survey of Indochina in 1898, two French geologists, Honoré Lantenois and Henri Mansuy, were assigned to build the Geological Museum. The museum was built within the premises of the Survey and completed in 1914. According to an article by the Director of the Geological Survey of Indochina, André Blondel, in 1928, the museum already exhibited specimens collected on the territory of Indochina and was classified into four parts: 1. Minerals, 2. Petrology, 3. Fossils, 4. Prehistory, and lacked specimens on the geology of the region and minerals.

In 1954, the country was divided, and the Geological Survey of Indochina was considered to move to Saigon. According to an article by Henri Fontaine in 1973, the specimens were moved along. The specimens were handed over to the Mineral Resources House under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Vietnam, and the Geological Museum was located at 31 Han Thuyen Street. In 1970, a new exhibition house was built at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, next to the Botanical Garden. In 1975, the end of the war, the management of this Geological Museum was assigned to the Southern Geological Map Federation, a member unit of the General Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Resources. In the north, the Geological Museum was established and under the Technical Bureau of the Geological Survey, Ministry of Industry of the state Geological Survey. In 1963, the director of the Leningrad Geological Museum of the Soviet Union, P.N. Varfolomeev, was invited as an advisor to restore and develop the museum's activities. In 1978, it was named the Institute of Geological Archive Museums, then in 1985, it was the Institute of Geological Mine Information. In 1991, it officially became the Geological Museum. In 1997, it was the Institute of Information, Archives, Geological Museums. In 1999, the new exhibition hall of the Geological Museum was inaugurated at 6 Pham Ngu Lao, Hanoi. In 2001, the Geological Museum was recognized by ICOM as a member of this organization, and one of the first five members of ICOM Vietnam. Since 2003, the Geological Museum has been a specialized museum. By 2008, the Southern Geological Museum was incorporated into the common name and is the southern branch.

Address: 6 Pham Ngu Lao Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.