Discover the 11 museums to see during your visit in the Vietnamese capital!
1. Old Quarter, a jewel in the heart of Hanoi
Known as the “district of the 36 corporations” with more than 40 streets or alleys dedicated to the trades, the Old Quarter is a living open-air museum with an undeniable charm. Considered as the cultural heart of Hanoi, this district, Hoan Kiem, dates back to the XV century, it adjoins the edge of the lake of the restored sword called Hoan Kiem lake.
Each street of the district represented a trade, a speciality, some have kept their specificity such as: the street of the votive papers, the one of the herbalists, the one of the medicine… The streets of the Sugar (Hang Duong), of the Cups (Hang Chen), of the Cotton (Hang Bong), of the Combs (Hang Luoc), of the Chickens (Hang Ga), of the Fans (Hang Quat), have, in the course of the time, lost their affectations while preserving a hundred-year-old charm.
The streets in the old quarter are rather narrow and go in all directions. During your visit, through the small picturesque streets, you will see street vendors selling doughnuts, fruit or flowers, soup vendors on the sidewalks, small craftsmen who work in front of their tube houses, sometimes more than 20 meters deep and only a few meters wide..
Vous pourrez ici, combiner marche et cyclo-pousse pour rendre la balade encore plus vivante!
Not to be missed during a visit to Hanoi.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Old quarter of Hanoi
Address: downtown, near Hoan Kiem lake, also known as the small lake.
Opening hours: all day and every day
Entrance fee: free
Minimum duration of the visit: 3 hours
2. Museum of ethnography of Vietnam
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnography is a place to share and discover the cultures of Vietnam. In 2017, the museum was awarded the title of “Most Attractive Destination in Vietnam”.
It is a magnificent museum with an exhibition area of 4.5 hectares, which takes you into the discovery of the life of the Vietnamese.
We start with the interior. The museum shows familiar scenes of daily life: work in the rice fields, weaving, conical hat making, fishing,… You will also find beautiful collections of the 54 ethnic groups that make up the country.
And in the garden, you can see several traditional houses of ethnic minorities. On weekends, it is also possible to attend a water puppet show, a cultural activity not to be missed during your tour in Hanoi. This is definitely the most interesting museum in the city and it would be a shame to miss it.
A visit to make absolutely in family (especially with the children, they adore!)
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Museum of ethnography of Vietnam
Address: Nguyen Van Huyen, Cau Giay, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:30-17:30. Closed on Monday
Entrance fee:
- Adult: 40.000vnd (soit moins de 2€)/pers
- Free entrance for children under 6 years old
Minimum duration of the visit: 2 hours
3. Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature, also known as the Confucian Academy and the Children of the Nation College, was built in 1070 and was the first university in Vietnam.
Although it is a temple, it is also considered a museum because of its history and its collections of cult objects.
Dedicated to the cult of Confucius, the Temple of Literature is the national symbol of the importance of education and knowledge.
This historic site consists of beautiful gardens, several buildings and five courtyards. Each courtyard is connected to the next by a triple door whose names symbolize the progression on the path of knowledge.
All along the way, one can also discover beautiful entrance doors and stone turtles (symbols of strength, longevity, humility and intelligence). In the third courtyard, there are 82 steles, steles of the doctors, placed on stone turtle shells. These steles mention the names and the results of the graduates of the university (1484 to 1780).
From time immemorial, Vietnamese students come to touch the head of each turtle before taking an exam for good luck.
It is a quiet place, especially if you go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Temple of Literature
Address: 58 Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da, Ha Noi
Opening hours:
- In summer: 07:30–17:30
- In winter: 08:00–17:30
Entrance fee :
- Adult: 30.000vnd
- Free entrance for children under 15 years old
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30
4. Vietnamese Women’s Museum
The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is located near Hoan Kiem Lake, on Ly Thuong Kiet Street – one of the most beautiful streets in Hanoi.
Through this museum, we discover the exceptional courage of Vietnamese women and their important role in society. All the collections are impressive, the photos are striking.
This museum will help you to have a general view on all the ethnic groups in Vietnam. The women presented are from different ethnic groups, civil or military women, from all social conditions, from all regions.
You can also learn about Vietnamese society from the perspective of women:
Women in the family, opportunity to discover the Vietnamese family, the customs of different ethnic minorities: marriage, birth, daily life, crafts.
Women in history, here we praise the courage and sacrifice of Vietnamese women throughout history.
Women’s fashions, a beautiful overview of the costumes of ethnic minorities, detailing the techniques and know-how specific to each group, batik or embroidery.
It is recommended to visit the museum with a guide.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Vietnamese Women’s Museum
Address: 36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–17:00
Entrance fee:
- Adult: 40.000vnd
- Children: 10.000vnd
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30 minimum (4 floors of exhibition)
5. Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum
The Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is located in the western part of the old city near the Temple of Literature.
It is a beautiful museum, on three floors of a magnificent colonial building, with three other galleries in the west wing. The three floors of the museum take you on a journey through the artistic history of the country, with a special emphasis on lacquer painting and war-related themes.
This museum presents a very interesting panorama of Vietnamese artistic production from antiquity to the present day: sculptures, art objects, antique bronze objects, a superb collection of lacquerware, paintings on silk, etc.
Educational and very expressive, this museum is definitely worth a visit!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum
Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:30–17:00. Closed on Monday
Entrance fee :
- Adult: 40.000vnd
- Free entrance for children under 6 years old
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30
6. Vietnam National Museum of History
The National Museum of Vietnamese History is located in the former building of the French School of Far East, just behind the Opera House. It was founded in September 1958 and contains a large number of precious objects, which reflect all periods of Vietnamese history.
This museum occupies two beautiful buildings from the French colonial period. The first building starts from the Bronze Age and ends with the Nguyen dynasty. The second building is devoted to modern history, from 1858 to the present day. It presents the history of the anti-colonial struggle, the origins of the heroes of the revolution, etc.
For those who are interested in the history of Vietnam, it is essential to visit this museum. Its mission is to research, preserve, exhibit and present to the public the history of Vietnam from the prehistoric period to the present day, through its numerous documents and precious objects, some of which are classified as national treasures. The museography is a little old, but the works are superb and highlighted, the spaces are airy.
A must visit for history lovers!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Vietnam National Museum of History
Address: 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–12:00 / 13:30–17:00
Entrance fee :
- Adult: 40.000vnd
- Free admission for children under 6 years old
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30
7. Ho Chi Minh Museum
As its name suggests, it is a museum dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, father of the nation! The Ho Chi Minh Museum is located south of Ba Dinh Square and a few meters from the One-Fold Pagoda. This museum was built in 1990 for the centenary of Ho Chi Minh’s birth. The architecture of the museum takes the shape of a white lotus.
By visiting the museum, you will learn about the life of President Ho Chi Minh through historical objects, and better understand his revolutionary activities through readings, letters, articles from the early 20th century.
The visit can be continued by the Ho Chi Minh house located in the gardens of the Presidential Palace of Hanoi, the house of Ho Chi Minh is a modest wooden house of two floors on stilts in which lived the founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 1958 to 1968.
Today, it is a must-see museum in Hanoi, part of Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, but above all a very important place of remembrance for all Vietnamese.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Address: 19 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–11:30 / 14:00–16:30. Closed on Monday and Friday.
Entrance fee: 40.000vnd
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h
8. Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi
If you are interested in Vietnamese history, you must visit Hoa Lo prison in downtown Hanoi. The prison was built under French colonialism between 1886 and 1901.
It is a moving historical journey. This place is an indispensable historical monument to the understanding of the history of modern Vietnam, dedicated to the tenacity of the women and men who fought against colonialism.
In 1954, Hoa Lo prison became a Vietnamese prison for common criminals and anti-communists, then, from 1964 to 1973, for American pilots taken prisoner, and state prison until 1997, when a part was created as a museum.
This museum is very rich and the exhibitions are well done. The room where prisoners are represented is very realistic. Everything is explained in French.
However, some parts of the museum and some of the photos in the exhibitions may offend the sensibilities of younger visitors.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi
Address: 1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–17:00
Entrance fee:
- Adult: 30.000vnd
- Free entrance for children under 15 years old
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h00
9. Hanoi Museum
The Hanoi Museum is dedicated to the history of the city. The museum is located in Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi, a little far from the city center. It is a place that holds a lot of Hanoi’s history with more than 50,000 objects from ancient and contemporary Hanoi. It has the shape of an inverted pyramid and has 4 floors with 3 main attractions. The gardens are very beautiful to see!
The exhibits include relics of the Ly, Tran, Le dynasties… There are unique cultural objects of Hanoi such as Ho Guom turtles, pottery, furniture, etc. By visiting the museum, you can also admire the paintings of ancient Hanoi and antiques. This place preserves a part of the history and cultural characteristics of the capital’s inhabitants.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Hanoi Museum
Address: Pham Hung, Me Tri, Nam Tu Liem, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–11:30 / 13:30–17:00. Closed on Monday
Entrance fee: Free
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30
10.Vietnam Military History Museum
The Vietnam Military History Museum is a museum located in front of the Lenin statue in the center of Hanoi. It represents the Vietnamese desire for liberation.
Throughout the museum, you will find clothes, knives, weapons, grenades, rocket launchers, and especially real tanks, planes, and helicopters of war. An important part of the museum is dedicated to the battle of Dien Bien Phu, with a large model of the place that lights up during the comments, describing the successive battles until the final assault.
On your way out, don’t miss to go up to the second floor of Hanoi’s “Flag Tower”. The tower has a height of 33.4 meters. Built in 1812, it is one of the symbols of freedom of the capital.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Vietnam Military History Museum
Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:00–11:30 / 13:00–16:30. Closed on Monday and Friday
Entrance fee: 40.000vnd
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h30
11. Vietnam National Museum of Nature
Vietnam National Museum of Nature was established within the Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology in 2006. This museum is dedicated to the preservation, exhibition and dissemination of knowledge.
Walking through the museum, you can discover the progress of life over 3.6 billion years ago until today!
Although the space is not too big, this museum attracts tourists by the live models. You have the opportunity to see more than 6000 species of animals, 25000 species of insects, 10000 phytosanitary specimens, 2000 geological samples and some other specimens.
This place takes you on an incomparable journey through time, this museum aims to present nature, its evolution and its value to humanity, in Vietnam of course but also on a global scale, helping to raise awareness of its protection!
Practical information
Vietnam National Museum of Nature
Address: 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau giay, Ha Noi
Opening hours: 08:30–11:00 / 13:30–16:30. Open from Thursday to Sunday
Entrance fee: Free
Minimum duration of the visit: 1h00
There you go, now you know a nice list of museums you can do when going to Hanoi, there are some for all styles !
