Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi has been organized into two different facilities, all of which are located in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. Each of those facilities exhibits many eras and fields of Vietnamese history with a number of documents, remnants and other materials up to more than 20.000 objects in total. Such an enormous collection that anyone who has a great love for history always dreams of. Hoan Kiem district is not so far from Noi Bai International Airport thus it can help you to save quite a lot of time to reach the museum.
One of the entrances that lead into Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi
The opening hours of the Vietnam National Museum of History is from 8 AM to 5 PM (administrative hour in Vietnam). In order to have more time to wander along the museum, you should get here early in the morning or early in the evening to check in with the staff before going in.
The ticket fee is 40.000 VND per person, applying for both local and foreign visitors. If you visit this place on weekends, you will probably have to shove along the lines.
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The National Museum of History is named after the merger of the Vietnam History Museum, which was established in 1958, and Vietnam Revolution Museum, which was established a year later.
Before the 1960s, this museum was called the Louis Finot museum, an institution established by the French in 1932 in order to study and do research about Oriental studies and other aspects of it. In 1958, this place had its name changed to the National Museum by the Vietnam Democratic Republic government. From then, the National Museum only focused on researching and preserving remnants, documentaries, etc that related to historical studies.
Vietnam National Museum of History was a merger between Vietnam National Museum and Vietnam Revolutionary Institute Museum in 2011. This was also a great decision because for now, visitors can have the opportunity to watch and explore artifacts or remnants in a more efficient way than ever before.
The front side of Vietnam National Museum of History at 1 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
There are lots of interesting and fascinating things you can do and see in this spectacular “sanctuary of history” in Hanoi. For example, these activities below are considered to be an excitement for many tourists:
Buy souvenirs from the museum’s vendor with various of choices
Take some pictures of the most memorable and unique artifacts that you prefer
Take a guideline book about the museum to find out more about its special features
Search for the information you need on the tablet systems of the museum
Along with that, tourists will have a chance to explore and learn about both the intensive and extensive history of Vietnam from 700 B.C. up till now with a variety of documentaries and remnants that can only make you become more and more curious after finishing inspecting one. The number of artifacts and documentaries in the Vietnam National Museum is around 20.000 objects thus it will not be boring or undesirable to enjoy a trip to this museum anytime you feel comfortable. Ly, Tran, Ho, and Nguyen dynasties are all here to help you review or throwback to the old time of Vietnamese history.
There are many ways to get to Vietnam National Museum of History. Tourists can travel by bus, taxi or some technology transportation services such as Grab, Be or Gojek. Besides, you can also rent a motorbike to reach there as fast as you want and be able to watch the streets of Hanoi. Located in Hoan Kiem district is a big advantage for tourists because this is a central area of Hanoi and there are many routes that can lead you to this museum. In case of getting lost, then Google Maps will be your best “virtual compass” and an intelligent guide, presumably.
Moreover, in Hanoi, “xe om” is a common and cheap transportation besides other types of transportation. You can find any of these drivers at the traffic lights or any street corners all over the city. However, you have to make sure that they are not cheating on the fee by circling around unnecessary roads just to make you pay more. Using Google Maps will surely help you out of this situation.
With a huge amount of paintings, maps and other artifacts and even national treasures, the National Museum of History has to allocate its collection and display in two facilities according to different historical periods. If you are interested in learning about the early history of Vietnam, the facility which is located at 1 Trang Tien Street will be the right place you need to come and see for yourself. The other facility is located at 216 Tran Quang Khai Street which exhibits the history of medieval and modern times of Vietnam. Due to the fact that most tourists want to visit both of those places, we recommend that you should come to each of the facilities to wander along the hall and experience the artifacts.
The ticket fee does not include beverages or snacks so tourists should prepare them first or buy them at the canteen or automatic selling machine for something to eat and drink while visiting the museum. The amount of time you can visit Vietnam National Museum of History is unlimited until it is closed so you can feel free to explore without worrying much about that aspect.
