If you want to learn about the history of Vietnam, start here: 4 museums in Hanoi
Hello!
I'm Seita!!
I am studying sociology in the doctoral program at Peking University.
In this series of articles, I will be writing about my stay in Hanoi from July 9th to July 14th, 2026. Below is an overview of my stay in Hanoi.
In this article, I will focus specifically on the museums I actually visited within Hanoi. Vietnam is a country with a complex historical background involving war, revolution, and a multi-ethnic society, and by visiting these museums, I was able to see aspects that are not visible just by walking around the city.
In this article, I would like to introduce these aspects from the perspective of the author, a sociology doctoral student who has lived in China for a long time!!
This article is intended for the following people:
・Those planning a trip to Hanoi
・Those interested in the history of Vietnam
・Those who enjoy visiting museums abroad
Ho Chi Minh Museum
A magnificent white building located near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, this museum was built on May 19, 1990, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh's birth. With the assistance of the former Soviet Union and others, experts from the Lenin Museum were in charge of the design and interior, resulting in a novel and artistic structure and interior. In addition to exhibits such as models of Ho Chi Minh's birthplace, his personal belongings, and letters, the museum also clearly displays his journey toward revolution.
Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Admission fee: 40,000 VND (approx. 220 yen)
This museum is located very close to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. While Ho Chi Minh is naturally the main focus of the exhibits, it also touches upon Vietnam's long history of conflict, making it a very impressive museum to visit.
The interior is very well designed, with exhibits arranged around the center of the museum, allowing for an efficient tour of all the displays.
There are many paintings and documents on display, designed to help you deepen your learning as you go.
The overall design was unique. Even for me, having visited over 30 museums in 2025 alone, it felt fresh. It is easy to see why it was designed by a Soviet architect.
The exhibits cover not only Ho Chi Minh as a revolutionary but also his private life and philosophy, creating a structure that allows for a multi-dimensional understanding of his character.
The exhibits are very well-organized, and you can learn about Vietnam's turbulent history through the perspective of Ho Chi Minh's life. If you have to choose just one museum in Hanoi, this is the one you should visit!!
National Museum of History
This museum consists of two buildings separated by a road. Area A (on the Trang Tien Street side) introduces the history of Vietnam chronologically from prehistoric times to the modern era. A highlight on the first floor is the collection of bronze drums excavated from the Dong Son site, with the oldest, the Ngoc Lu drum, dating back to around the 5th century BC. The highlight on the second floor is the numerous Hindu sculptures from the Champa Kingdom era; the head of the god Garuda from the 11th century excavated from the Quang Nam ruins and the sculpture of the god Shiva from the 12th century excavated from the Binh Dinh ruins are masterpieces of Champa art.
Area B (on the Tran Quang Khai Street side) is located in what was the tax office during the French colonial period, and it introduces the 2,000-year history of the Vietnamese people's resistance and struggle for independence chronologically through commemorative items and panels. You can trace the history of Vietnam from the anti-French movements in the mid-19th century to the end of the Indochina War and modern development.
Time required: 1 to 1.5 hours
Admission fee: 40,000 VND (approx. 220 yen)
This place consists of Building A and Building B; the former mainly houses exhibits up to the medieval period, while the latter features exhibits related to the modern and contemporary eras.
Let's start with Building A. As shown in the photo below, modern facilities welcome visitors. I was a bit surprised to find the interior cleaner than expected, with the exhibits arranged in an orderly fashion.
Prehistoric artifacts are displayed as shown below.
The fact that Vietnam is strongly influenced by Buddhism is also evident from the many Buddha statues on display.
What I personally found interesting is that Chinese characters are frequently used in Vietnam. I was impressed by how strong the influence of Chinese character culture is.
I tried to read them, but while I could recognize the individual characters, I didn't really understand the overall meaning. Perhaps, like in Korean, some are used only for their phonetic value. ※If anyone knows more, please let me know!
Next is Building B.
From here on, the exhibits focus on the modern and contemporary eras.
This is a satirical cartoon depicting white people sitting on top of the Vietnamese people.
It is said that demonstrations against the Vietnam War were also held in Japan.
That concludes the content of the National Museum of History. It is a valuable museum where you can learn about the history of Vietnam through its extremely rich collection of exhibits. We recommend visiting with plenty of time to spare.
Vietnamese Women's Museum
This museum introduces the roles and achievements of Vietnamese women throughout history and culture through various exhibits. From daily life and clothing to female soldiers during wartime, as well as women's accomplishments in all fields, the museum displays materials, models, videos, and photographs. You can understand the importance of the status of women in Vietnam and why Vietnamese women are said to be strong, while also getting a glimpse into one aspect of the country's history and culture.
Required time: about 1 hour
Admission fee: 45,000 VND (approx. 250 yen)
Vietnam is said to be a country where women rule the roost, and they are considered strong. Also, according to "Chikyu no Arukikata," the beauty of Vietnamese women was a common understanding even among the successive suzerain states. Perhaps this background is why this museum was established.
Basically, the exhibits continue with women's clothing and accessories like those in the image below.
In addition to clothing and accessories, female soldiers who played active roles in the wars of liberation and the war against America are also honored.
A museum focused on "women" is rare; I did not see one while traveling around Europe, and I do not recall seeing one while traveling through various Asian countries either.These exhibits suggest that the role of women has been highly valued in Vietnamese society.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The lives, customs, and rituals of the 54 ethnic groups that make up Vietnam are displayed in great detail, with materials collected from all over Vietnam numbering as many as 15,000 items. Most of the exhibits are visual, using daily tools, costumes, diagrams, models, and videos, making them very easy to understand. The museum is divided by region—North, Central, and South—and as you follow the route, you can clearly see that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic nation. You should also pay attention to the "Tay Nguyen Elephants," which introduces the culture of the central and southern highlands in the permanent exhibition, as well as special exhibitions held in collaboration with various embassies. In addition, the dwellings and graves of each ethnic group have been relocated to the backyard of the building.
Required time: 30 minutes to 1 hour (excluding the new building)
Admission fee: 40,000 VND (approx. 220 yen)
This place houses a vast collection of ethnographic materials from all over Vietnam. I didn't have enough time to visit the new wing, but the main building alone is quite substantial.
This shows the distribution of ethnic groups in Vietnam. You can visually understand that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic nation.
Overall, the exhibits are elaborate and never boring to look at.
The way the exhibits are presented in this museum reminded me of the ethnographic museums I saw in Europe.I have a feeling that this museum was created under the supervision of European anthropologists.. Also, while there isn't an overwhelming amount of explanation, I had the impression that there were many analytical texts.
These are the museums I visited while in Hanoi.
To briefly summarize the museums I visited this time,
・Ho Chi Minh Museum if you want to learn about modern and contemporary Vietnamese history
・National Museum of History if you want to grasp the general history
・Vietnamese Women's Museum if you want to view culture from a gender perspective
・Vietnam Museum of Ethnology if you want to know about Vietnam as a multi-ethnic nation
was my impression.
If you are struggling to decide where to go within a limited amount of time, I think you will be more satisfied if you choose based on your own interests.
That concludes this article.
Thank you for reading this far.
I will continue to write articles about sightseeing in Hanoi. Thank you for your continued support.
The following article provides an overview of traveling in Vietnam.
The following article focuses on historical sightseeing spots.
The following article highlights local tourist destinations.
If you are interested in day trips to Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay, please see the article below.
Please see the following article for the exquisite Vietnamese cuisine I ate in Hanoi.
In the article below, I write about cafes, bia hoi, and souvenir shops.
In the magazine below, I write about overseas travel.
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