Top 10 Museums in Hue You Should Visit
Museums in Hue are home to thousands of collections of antiquities, images, and unique works of art that have existed for centuries, covering a wide range of themes for you to explore. Visiting the best museums in Hue city offers a deeper understanding of this former imperial capital and reveals how, despite the region’s turbulent history, it has managed to preserve its distinctive traditional cultural beauty. Below is a list of the top 10 most famous museums in Hue that you should visit.
Read more: Hue Imperial City: Exploring Hue’s Premier Historical Landmark
Hue Royal Antiquities Museum
- Address: 3 Le Truc Street, Dong Ba Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Ticket prices: 150,000 VND (adults), 50,000 VND (children)
The Hue Royal Antiquities Museum is one of the first museums in Vietnam, established in 1923 under the name Musée Khai Dinh (Khai Dinh Museum). Over the years, it has undergone several name changes: Tang Co Vien Hue (1947), Vien Bao tang Hue (1958), Nha trung bay Co vat (1979), Bao tang Co vat Hue (1992), Bao tang my thuat Cung dinh Hue (1995), and finally, Bao tang Co vat Cung dinh Hue (Hue Royal Antiquities Museum). The museum covers an area of 6,330 square meters, with the main building occupying 1,185 square meters and additional structures serving as storage areas for antiquities and garden spaces.
The Hue Royal Antiquities Museum houses and displays a collection of ancient Hue artifacts, most of which originated from the Nguyen imperial court. These include collections of porcelain, Phap lam enamelware, imperial court garments, seals, musical instruments used in ceremonial rites, mirror paintings, lacquered and gilded wooden furniture, and cannons from the Nguyen lords and emperors. Additionally, the museum boasts a unique and diverse collection of Champa sculptures.
Within the museum grounds, there is another storage facility holding over 80 Cham artifacts, collected from the ancient regions of Chau O and Chau Ly and unearthed during archaeological excavations in Tra Kieu in 1927. These Cham artifacts have been regarded by researchers as cultural treasures not only of the Far East but also of global significance.
Read more: 7 Top Tourist Attractions in Hue city
Long An Palace, the museum’s main exhibition hall, is one of the finest examples of royal architecture in Vietnam today. It is a significant monument within the Complex of Hue Monuments, which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Long An Palace was built in 1845 during the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri of the Nguyen dynasty. This magnificent wooden structure, supported by 128 pillars, is renowned for its rich artistic interior and exterior decoration, embodying elegance and sophistication. It showcases over 300 artifacts made of gold, ceramics, porcelain, Hue enamelware, royal garments, and imperial belongings from the Nguyen dynasty.
Read more: Hoi An, Vietnam: 15 Places to Visit & Things to Know
Ho Chi Minh Museum – Thua Thien Hue
- Address: 07 Le Loi Street, Vinh Ninh Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Ticket prices: Free
The Ho Chi Minh Museum – Thua Thien Hue was established on September 16, 1980, based on the special events of President Ho Chi Minh’s early life and his family’s time in Hue, from 1895 to 1901 and from 1906 to 1909. The museum houses thousands of documents, literary works, and photographs related to President Ho Chi Minh, including his own recollections of his time in Hue and his deep affection for Thua Thien Hue. If you are interested in learning about the life of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s great leader, this is a place you should visit.
Thua Thien Hue Museum of History
- Address: No. 01, 23 Thang 8 Street, Thuan Thanh Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Tuesday to Sunday)
- Ticket price: 30,000 VND/person
The Thua Thien Hue Museum of History was established in August 1976, originally known as the Binh Tri Thien Museum. From 1976 to 2005, the museum underwent several name changes, and on July 8, 2016, it was officially named the Thua Thien Hue Museum of History. With over 40 years of development, the museum now showcases more than 30,000 historical documents, collections, and valuable artifacts.
Currently, the museum operates from the historic site of Quoc Tu Giam, located at No. 01, 23 Thang 8 Street, Thuan Thanh Ward, Hue City. Its exhibits are divided into three sections:
- The exhibition “Revolutionary Movements and the Resistance War Against French Colonialists in Thua Thien Hue, 1930-1954.”
- The exhibition “The Resistance War Against the U.S. in Thua Thien Hue, 1954-1975.”
- The exhibition of large-scale artifacts (relocated to 268 Dien Bien Phu Street, Hue City).
Additionally, the museum manages displays at four historical sites:
- The Memorial House of Comrade Nguyen Chi Dieu in Phu Mau Commune, Hue City.
- The Phan Boi Chau Memorial in Truong An Ward.
- The Central Vietnam Party Headquarters Relic at 114 Phan Dang Luu Street.
- The Nine Bunkers Historic Site and Ngo Dinh Can’s house in An Tay Ward, Hue City.
Moreover, the museum features an inventory and preservation system, housing over 30,000 documents, artifacts, and many valuable collections.
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Hue Museum of Fine Arts
- Address: 17 Le Loi Street, Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Weekdays), 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
- Ticket prices: 50,000 VND (Adults), 30,000 VND (Children)
Established in 2018, the Hue Museum of Fine Arts serves as a center for preserving, researching, displaying, and promoting Hue’s fine arts. It focuses on showcasing renowned, high-value artistic works that highlight the development of Hue’s art over various periods, many of which have been highly regarded by art critics and researchers. The museum also displays works of art from well-established and famous artists, both domestic and international.
The museum features three exhibition spaces, including one dedicated to the works of artist Le Ba Dang and another for the sculptures of Diem Phung Thi. There is also a gallery showcasing the works of other prominent artists who have significantly contributed to the development of Hue’s art scene from the early 20th century to the present.
The Hue Museum of Fine Arts is not only a venue for displaying and introducing artworks but also collaborates in organizing cultural and artistic activities. With its prime location and collection of outstanding artworks and artifacts, the museum is a fascinating cultural destination for visitors. It is a must-see stop for both domestic and international tourists on their journey through Hue.
Read more: Top 8 Museums in Hanoi You Should Visit
Museum of Nguyen Dynasty Commissioned Porcelains
- Address: 114 Mai Thuc Loan Street, Hue City
- Opening hours: Open daily from Monday to Sunday
- Ticket price: 30,000 VND
The Museum of Nguyen Dynasty Commissioned Porcelains is the first private museum in Hue, established by researcher and antiquities collector Tran Dinh Son. The museum was built by fully restoring the original ancient house that once belonged to Tran Dinh Ba, the Minister of Justice of the Nguyen dynasty, who was Tran Dinh Son’s great-grandfather.
“Styled porcelain” refers to porcelain items commissioned by Vietnamese individuals (emperors, officials, or commoners) from Chinese kilns between the late 17th century and the early 20th century. These commissions came with specific requests regarding shape, color, decorative patterns, poems, and inscriptions.
During the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), diplomatic missions to China were tasked with official duties such as seeking titles, offering thanks, reporting succession, or sending congratulations. These missions also placed orders for porcelain items on behalf of the imperial court, especially during the reigns of emperors Gia Long (1802-1820), Minh Mang (1820-1841), Thieu Tri (1841-1847), Tu Duc (1848-1883), and Khai Dinh (1916-1925).
The styled porcelain of the Nguyen dynasty is diverse in type and design, featuring a wide range of themes and decorative patterns. Besides customized designs depicting famous landscapes in Hue and its surroundings, accompanied by poems in Chinese and Nom script, common motifs include classic themes such as the Four Holy Beasts, landscapes, figures, legends, the Four Seasons, and the Eight Immortals. Each Nguyen emperor had unique inscriptions on their styled porcelain.
For the first time, these rare and valuable artifacts, crafted by generations of artisans nearly 200 years ago, are being displayed in a private museum in Hue.
Huong River Ancient Ceramics Museum
- Address: 120 Nguyen Phuc Nguyen Street, Huong Long Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Saturday and Sunday)
- Ticket price: 120,000 VND
The Huong River Ancient Ceramics Museum began as a ceramics display space created by Professor Thai Kim Lan, a Vietnamese-German who has a deep connection to Hue. She returned to Hue to realize her long-held dream of establishing the first private museum in the city dedicated to ancient ceramics from the Huong River. Together with her brother, the late artist Thai Nguyen Ba, they spent nearly 40 years collecting and preserving these ceramics, including pieces from the late researcher Ho Tan Phan.
Set in the cool, spacious garden landscape of beautiful Kim Long, visitors can admire thousands of ancient ceramic artifacts, many of which were salvaged from the Huong River, along with others collected from different locations. These valuable artifacts date back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
This museum is the only one in Vietnam displaying ceramic items discovered in a narrow geographical area—Thua Thien Hue province’s rivers. Covering an area of approximately 700 square meters, the museum currently holds nearly 5,000 artifacts. Most of these are ancient ceramics retrieved from the Huong River, spanning various periods, including Cham ceramics, Sa Huynh pottery, Prehistoric, Protohistoric, and Le So era items, along with ceramics once produced in the ancient villages of Phuoc Tich and My Xuyen.
General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum
- Address: 44 Dang Thai Than Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM | 2:00 PM – 4:10 PM (Tuesday to Thursday); Friday to Sunday, open until 8:00 PM in the evening
- Ticket price: Free
The General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum officially opened its doors on July 2, 2022. With a total area of 650 square meters, the museum exhibits around 395 artifacts and documents highlighting the life, revolutionary career, and key milestones of General Nguyen Chi Thanh, who played a crucial role in both the resistance against the French and the American forces.
Cecile Le Pham Museum of Fine Arts
- Address: 53 Ham Nghi Street, Phuoc Vinh Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Monday to Sunday)
- Ticket price: Free
The Cecile Le Pham Museum of Fine Arts houses more than 1,000 artifacts related to history, culture, and fine arts, collected and researched by Cecile Le Pham, a French-Vietnamese, over nearly 30 years. Spanning approximately 2,000 square meters, the first floor displays “Phap Lam Art and a Collection of Decorative Items from Vietnam, Japan, and France,” while the second floor is dedicated to “Buddhist Art of East Asia – A Multidimensional Approach.”
The museum is equipped with artificial lighting systems, partially combined with natural light, along with ventilation and cooling systems (fans), and multimedia devices (LED screens, projectors, etc.). The equipment, furnishings, and exhibition setups are of high quality, ensuring the museum’s efficient operation.
Le Ba Dang Museum
- Address: Kim Son Village, Thuy Bang, Hue City
- Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Tuesday to Sunday)
- Ticket price: 269,000 VND, free for children under 6 years old
The Le Ba Dang Museum is situated on a hill about 9 kilometers from the center of Hue City, spanning an area of over 16,000 square meters. Surrounded by lush mountains and forests, the site offers a refreshing and scenic environment. The architecture is particularly unique, with many beautiful corners for visitors to take photos. Artist Le Ba Dang (1921 – 2015) was a Vietnamese painter and sculptor who became a French citizen in 1980. He is regarded as a master of both Eastern and Western artistic traditions. The Lebadang Memorial Space now houses the artist’s works, donated by his wife Myshu, as well as pieces entrusted to his colleague Cam Te between 2009 and 2012.
The Central Coast Museum of Nature
- Address: Vy Da 7 Planning Area – Diem Phung Thi Street, Vy Da Ward, Hue City
- Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily) – Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
- Ticket prices: Free
The Central Coast Museum of Nature, established in 2006, is dedicated to collecting, displaying, and introducing visitors to the tropical rainforest ecosystems of Vietnam, which is one of the 200 globally recognized ecological regions.
With detailed guides and specific classifications of its specimen collections, visitors are immersed in the museum’s interactive space through a VR 360 experience room, combined with an informative audio system and detailed descriptions.
Currently, the museum has successfully curated three primary specimen collections:
- A geological and mineral collection featuring 187 samples
- A collection of fish from the Huong River and the Tam Giang – Cau Hai Lagoon, with 1,400 specimens
- A forest wood collection showcasing 28 species
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Conclusion
The list of museums in Hue we have presented covers a wide range of themes related to the historical and cultural development of this former imperial capital. The artifacts displayed in these museums provide a vivid testimony to the art, culture, and history of Hue, allowing visitors to appreciate the beauty and cultural significance of this historic land.
