Bảo tàng lịch sử Quốc gia

The foundation and development of the Vietnam National Museum of History

The VNMH was established on the basis of the amalgamation of the former National Museum of Vietnamese History and the National Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution under the Decision No. 1674/QĐ-TTg dated 26 September, 2011 of the Prime Minister.

The National Museum of Vietnam History was founded on the material facilities of the Louis Finot Museum - a museum belonging to the École Française d’Extrême-Orient which was built in 1926 and inaugurated in 1932. In 1958, the Vietnam Government officially took over this cultural institution and converted the exhibition contents from eastern arts into national history. On 3 September 1958, the National Museum of Vietnam History was officially opened for visitors.

On 3 September 1958, the National Museum of Vietnam History was officially opened for visitors

The National Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution was originally the Department of Indochinese Commerce that built in 1917 under the French time. The Museum was officially opened for visitors on 6 January, 1959.

The National Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution was established on January 6, 1959

After more than half a century of operation, the entire resources of the former National Museum of Vietnamese History and the National Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution have been merged into a unique museum - the VNMH. The resources include practical knowledge and experience in museum activities as well as precious collections dating from prehistory to the present. Among these collections, there are many national treasures and rare and valuable items such as: gold decree, seal, gold sword, Dong Son culture’s collection, Champa culture’s collection, Vietnam ceramic collection, collections from China, Japan, Thailand, India, Myanmar... collections relating to living utensils, labor tools of Vietnamese people in the twentieth century, the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President Ho Chi Minh.

As the head of museum system in Vietnam, the VNMH has adjustedand oriented its activities to meet the social demands and has initially achieved remarkable results -in professional fields, such as: archaeological excavation, exhibition, preservation, publication and so on. The exhibition system is always updated with new information and materials. It is also perfected for both scientific contents and displaying methods, combining the application of modern scientific means to bring the best effect and satisfy the increasing demand of the public.

The VNMH at No.1 Trang Tien street and No.216 Tran Quang Khai street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

In particular, the VNMH is considered as one of the few national museums in Vietnam that carry out successfully a lot of exhibitions abroad. This activity has gradually introduced and promoted the imagery of the Vietnamese country and people through the national cultural heritage, contributing to the international community with a more accurate view of the history and culture of Vietnam.

The VNMH is a member of the International Council of Museum (ICOM), a founding member of the Asian National Museums Association (ANMA). The VNMH has had bilateral and multilateral cooperation with many museums, research institutions and international organizations for mutual benefit and development in the areas of exhibitions, archaeology, preservation, training, publications, conferences, seminars... The VNMH has cooperated with different countries like China, Korea, Japan, Laos, Singapore, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, America, Russia, Australia, Kazakhstan and so on.

Currently, the VNMH’s new construction has been deployed in the West Lake area, located in Friendship Park with a total area of about 10 hectares. It comprises commemoration area, main building, outdoor space and technical support constructions. Previously, in 2006, the project of building the VNMH was approved by the Prime Minister. In 2010, the outline “Content and Format of the Exhibition System of the VNMH” was approved by the Prime Minister.

Architectural design of the new VNMH buildings in West of West Lake urban area, Hanoi.

After the relocation of the VNMH, the building at No. 1 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi will be turned into the Museum of Southeast Asian Art and History, while the building at No. 216 Tran Quang Khai will become the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The VNMH will be a modern cultural construction with world-class standards. The Museum will overcome the limitations of the two former museums, to better serve the professional activities and public demands.