Ho Chi Minh Museum

Ho Chi Minh Museum was inaugurated on May 19, 1990 - the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh. This museum is the head unit in the system of museums and memorial sites of President Ho in Vietnam, which aims to commemorate and display his heritage in response to the wishes of the Vietnamese people after he passed away. 

Ho Chi Minh Museum (Source: Wikipedia)

History of HCM Museum Formation

1970 - 1977: Preparation for the establishment 

The first milestone that founded the appearance of the Ho Chi Minh Museum was Resolution No.206-NQ/TW on November 25, 1970. It announced that a Board of Directors would be set up to be in charge of the construction. 

The 50th Anniversary of Ho Chi Minh Museum (25/11/1970 - 25/11/2020) (Source: Dhh.vn)

During this stage, many works were carried out, such as inventorying, recording, drawing, and taking photos of relics, documents, and artifacts; and expanding cooperative relationships with domestic and foreign agencies.

1977 - 1990: Construction of Ho Chi Minh Museum

The main tasks were completing the organizational structure, constructing, designing, and concretizing the exhibition of the Museum. In 1983-1984, the work became more convenient due to the help of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Government of the Soviet Union in building and displaying contents in the museum. 

After the basic preparation was completed, the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Museum was solemnly held on August 31, 1985, the 40th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (09/02).

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on 31/08/1985 (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

After 5 years, the inauguration was celebrated on the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, May 19, 1990. This day is an important milestone in the path of construction and development of the Ho Chi Minh Museum, moving to a new stage: Officially opening to serve visitors to research and study.

Comrade Do Muoi, Politburo member and chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, read a speech at the inauguration ceremony, 19/05/1990 (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

1990 - Now: Improvement

Since its first opening day in 1990, up to now, the Ho Chi Minh Museum has become a familiar and trusted destination for compatriots and comrades nationwide as well as friends from all over the world when coming to Hanoi, a "red address" for millions of visitors.

Tourists visit the exhibition (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

Structure of the Museum

The building has a unique 3-story architecture with square blocks with diagonal corners, forming the symbol of an elegant white lotus. The four lotus petal-formed blocks on the top floor correspond to the 4 doors facing: Hung Vuong Street, Uncle Ho's stilt house, Ngoc Ha Street, and Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

The spacious area outside (Source: Bo Van hoa The thao va Du lich)

The museum owns a spacious, airy area with many trees and an artificial lake to keep the atmosphere more pleasant.

Suggestion for you: Vietnam Tour 5 Days

Content display

The first section:  Biography and Life of President Ho

This is the main part and also the main tour through the Museum. For each issue, documents and artifacts are presented in 3 layers:

Layer 1: Display 1mx1m pictures or fine art illustrations of each historical period in Ho Chi Minh’s life. This impresses the viewers and is the background for the documents displayed in the following layers.

Statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the lobby (Source: MIA.vn)

Layer 2: The core part. Selected artifacts on display contain photos, manuscripts, and physical relics of the revolutionary activities of President Ho. These also mark important developments in the fight of Vietnamese people for peace, independence, democracy and social progress.

Manuscripts of Ho Chi Minh’s Wills (Source: VnExpress)

Layer 3: Open-book system. The exhibits in the open books are divided into contents appropriate to each display in the core part. These are crucial parts to support the research of the issues displayed.

Exhibition: The last days of President Ho Chi Minh (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

The entire biography of President Ho Chi Minh consists of eight topics distinguished by different art solutions. They are systematically displayed in the following order:

• Theme 1: Childhood and Youth of Ho Chi Minh. Initial patriotic and revolutionary activities (1890 - 1911)
• Theme 2: The discovery of Marxism - Leninism (1911-1920)
• Theme 3: Ho Chi Minh researched, and applied creatively the theory of Marx-Lenin to national and colonial issues (1920-1924)
• Theme 4: The Vietnam Communist Party, representative of the working class, was established (1924-1930)
• Theme 5: President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee led the national liberation movement and the August Revolution. They founded the first worker-peasant state in Southeast Asia (1930-1945)
• Theme 6: Leading the struggle to maintain the revolutionary government and resist the French colonialists' invasion and American intervention (1945-1954)

A scene in Theme 6 (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Theme 7: The socialist revolution in the North and the fight against the US to liberate the South and unify the country (1954-1969)
• Theme 8: Forever following the path of President Ho Chi Minh

A part of Theme 8 (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

Besides, 8 screens are set up to provide more information about memorable historical periods during President Ho’s life and the Vietnam Revolution. 

The second section: The life, the fight, and the victory of Vietnamese people under the lead of President Ho Chi Minh

These are direct supplements to the biographical exhibition, contributing to proving Ho Chi Minh's thoughts on the struggle for national liberation through the realistic history of this time. The display form is presented in the form of art complexes called "image space complexes". Each image space complex recreates a historical site, event, or precious moment. Those highlights create a vivid exhibition complex, helping visitors relive the past.

7 art complexes include:

• Complex 1: Homeland of President Ho Chi Minh

Illustration of Uncle Ho’s hometown (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Complex 2: Revolutionary High Tide of 1930 - 1931 and Nghe Tinh Soviet
• Complex 3: Pac Bo - revolutionary base

Pac Bo Cave (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Complex 4: Resistance war against French colonialists and Dien Bien Phu victory
• Complex 5: Uncle Ho wrote his Testament
• Complex 6: Memorial room of President Ho Chi Minh

Memorial room of Uncle Ho (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Complex 7: Resistance war against American invaders and victory in spring 1975

The third section: Display the main events of world history that affect the revolutionary life of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese revolution 

The entire section consists of 8 parts, most of which are world historical events and issues, from the mid-19th century to the present day. This thematic exhibition has necessary content and evokes deep symbolic emotions for visitors. The specialized topics include:

• Topic 1: The world situation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Topic 1 display (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Topic 2: The October Revolution in Russia and its impact on the world revolutionary movement
• Topic 3: The struggle against fascism
• Topic 4: The world situation after World War II
• Topic 5: President Ho Chi Minh and the national liberation movement
• Topic 6: Vietnam in the fight for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress

Artifacts represent the resilience of Vietnamese soldiers (Source: Mytour Blog)

• Topic 7: Ho Chi Minh with the young generation

A space in Topic 7 (Source: Bao tang Ho Chi Minh)

• Topic 8: Vietnam today

Opening time

Ho Chi Minh Museum is opened for visitors except for Mondays and Fridays. On other days, tourists can visit this place from 8 am to 11.30 am and from 2 pm to 4.30 pm. 

Entrance fee

• For foreign tourists: VND 40.000/person
• For Vietnamese citizens, disabled people, and members of the International Council of Museums ICOM: free

Visitors will buy tickets at Gate 19, Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. 

Tourists eagerly visit the museum (Source: Bao Dai Doan Ket)

How to get there

It is easy to get there because Ho Chi Minh Museum is located at 19 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi - the center area. 

• Personal vehicles: Tourists can use motorbikes or cars and follow Google Maps to go to the Museum. There are parking lots inside the campus of Ho Chi Minh Museum.  
• Public transport: Visitors can take a bus as well. However, some bus stations can be far from the final destination (about 1km). 09A bus is recommended since it takes only 5 minutes walking from the stop. 

Otherwise, tourists can consider going there by Grab, Bee, or XanhSM, which is affordable and more convenient. 

Conclusion

Ho Chi Minh Museum provides opportunities to gain deeper insights into the life and career of the excellent president of Vietnam. This place promises an interesting journey back to the recent history of Vietnamese people. Contact Asia King Travel now and let us plan your trip today!

Suggestion for you: Family Tours Vietnam