Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum: Walk into Vietnam’s Cultural Diversity

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum is a must-do when coming to this city, especially for tourists who love art. The museum preserves many unique works of art, along with sophisticated architecture, which will help you understand more about Vietnam and leave you with interesting experiences. Let’s go inside and explore this Ho Chi Minh City’s attraction with Lua Viet Tours!

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum is a must-visit in Saigon. (Image Source: Internet)

Overview of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum

Before discovering what’s interesting about this museum, let’s learn about its general information and history.

General Infomation

Address: 97A Duc Chinh Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Opening hours: 8:00 – 17:00.

Ticket prices:

• Adults: 30,000 VND/person; (~ 1,21 USD)
• Children from 6 to 16 years old, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities: 15,000 VND/person; (~ 0,6 USD)
• Children under 6 years old: Free admission;

History of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum was formerly a building owned by Hua Bon Hoa, a Chinese-born businessman who was one of Southern Vietnam’s wealthiest men during the colonial era. He also owned several structures in Saigon, including Tu Du Hospital, the Majestic Hotel, and the Ho Chi Minh City Emergency Centre.

• In 1929, Mr. Hoa had the spectacular building constructed, according to the design of Rivera, a French architect who masterfully mixed Eastern and Western architectural elements. The structure was completed in 1934.
• In 1987, this building housed the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum. However, due to a lack of items, the museum did not officially open until 1992.

Today, the museum is a prominent art center in Vietnam, preserving and showing a wide range of notable artworks, antiques, sculptures, and paintings of historical, cultural, and artistic significance.

Today, Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum attracts many domestic and foreign visitors. (Image Source: Internet)

>>> Discover Ho Chi Minh City’s Hidden Gems With Lua Viet Tours!

Best experiences at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum

If you still don’t know what to do at this art museum, Lua Viet Tours will suggest three interesting experiences you can have when coming here.

Explore the structure and architecture of the museum

The Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum officially went into operation in 1989 and currently preserving more than 22.000 artifacts and works of art that are divided into many collections.  The Museum’s exhibition space consists of three buildings.

• The first building contains displays of modern artworks. Features collections in the War Resistance paintings, artworks from artists of the Ecole de Beaux-Arts d’Indochine and Gia Dinh (1975), and pieces from renowned artists of the country, reflecting the fundamental characteristics of art in the southern area during the period.

The first building is now home to more than 21,000 precious works of art. (Image Source: Internet)

• The second building has thematic displays and regular exhibitions, which specialize in topics, authors, artworks, and the museum’s artifacts collections. This section is also a regular venue for exhibitions by local and international units, including featured works from ASEAN countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Canada, the United States, and Russia.

The second building houses art exhibitions. (Image Source: Internet)

• The third building is a display of ancient and modern artistic artifacts showcasing materials such as ceramics, wood, stone, and bronze. Regarding ceramic artifacts and a collection of sculptures from the Champa culture or Oc Eo cultural period, and from Dong Nai River Delta. For wooden artistic artifacts, the museum collects items serving religious and spiritual purposes, such as Khmer South statues of Buddha and worship folk art carvings. For artistic artifacts made from bronze, the museum collects ancient bronze artifacts with diverse and artistic designs, ranging from simple to intricate sculptures.

The third building displays ancient and modern artistic treasures. (Image Source: Internet)

Admire works of art from the present and the past

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum is a must-see for tourists who love to learn about arts and culture. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and showing excellent works of art that depict Vietnamese people, particularly those from Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region. Tourists can view valuable paintings by notable Vietnamese artists such as Trinh Cung, Nguyen Gia Tri, and Diep Minh Chau, as well as artworks from the ancient Champa dynasty and older civilizations.

The displays of modern artworks. (Image Source: Internet)

Take artistic photos for social media

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum is also well-known for its unique beauty, notably its entry, which features magnificent red yin and yang tiles, stained glass windows with intricate patterns, and a spiraling stairway with brilliant hues. At any corner of the museum, you will find extremely cool backgrounds for taking tons of attractive photos.

You can take beautiful photos to “show off” to your friends. (Image Source: Internet)

Some Notes For Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum

Additionally, here are some regulations that you should take notes on visiting the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum and discovering the cultural diversity of Vietnam:  

• Dress politely when visiting the Museum.
• Visitors who need interpretation, please contact the interpretation staff (at house 1) or at the ticket counter.
• Do not bring weapons, explosives, flammable substances, or toxic pollutants into the Museum grounds.
• Maintain environmental hygiene and landscape, do not smoke, do not make noise while visiting; Do not sit on the railings and window frames of the building; Do not lie down and rest in the exhibition spaces.
• Do not touch or touch artifacts when visiting.
• Food and drinks are not allowed in the gallery.
• If you need filming or photography services, you must contact the ticket counter staff for instructions and fee registration.
• Only use cell phones to take commemorative pictures. 

Nearby Attractions at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum

There are many interesting places near Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum you can visit, here are some suggestions:

• Independence Palace: Address: 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. As a building associated with the city’s history, you can explore the architecture and take beautiful photos.
• Ben Thanh Market: Address: Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Here you can enjoy Saigon street food and buy souvenirs for you beloved ones.
• Saigon Central Post Office: Address: Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. This is also another outstanding architectural work of art in Saigon.
• Nguyen Hue Walking Street: Address: Nguyen Hue Square, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. This place offers a vibrant atmosphere with a variety of interesting activities.

Spiral staircase – prominent architecture inside Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Museum. (Image Source: Internet)

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum is not only a stunning piece of architecture, but also a perfect site for travelers looking to view a variety of valuable sculptures, paintings, and relics from Vietnam. If you’re planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City, contact Lua Viet Tours for a perfect guide!

>>> Read more: Chinatown Ho Chi Minh City (Cholon): Everything You Need To Know