War Remnants Museum: A Space for Dialogue and Reconciliation

Over the past half century, the War Remnants Museum has not only been a place to preserve historical memories, but also a space for dialogue and reconciliation, where pain is resolved with love, and the desire for peace is spread from Vietnam to international friends.

International delegations visit the War Remnants Museum

“Healing” from both sides

For many years, the War Remnants Museum (No. 28, Vo Van Tan Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) has been a space for history to speak, becoming a “living memory” of the country. Many international researchers have affirmed that the museum plays a special role in “healing” the wounds of war, opening up opportunities for people who were on both sides of the battle line to join hands towards the noble goal: peace and friendship.

Ms. Huynh Ngoc Van, former Director of the museum, shared: “The most important thing is that the museum has built and organized many peace education programs for the subjects, and proactively organized many meetings and exchanges between veterans of warring countries and veterans and former political prisoners of Vietnam. These activities have truly erased the gap, connecting them like new friends working together to preserve peace.”

At the International Conference with the theme “War Remnants Museum - Museum for Peace”, organized by the museum in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Peace Committee, Dr. Tran Nguyen Khang (Lecturer at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU-HCM) commented: “The War Remnants Museum is both a place to commemorate painful memories and a space to nurture and convey the aspiration for peace. The unique strength of the museum lies not only in preserving artifacts or recreating historical events, but also in its ability to manage collective memory, create emotional stories, evoke empathy in the public and carry out symbolic diplomatic activities on an international scale”.

According to Dr. Tran Nguyen Khang, war museums are also an important tool in the strategy of building a global identity, affirming the soft power of the country. This is a memory space that helps Vietnam both preserve its historical story and actively participate in international dialogues on reconciliation, human rights and peace. These memory spaces create conditions for connecting the past and the present, between individuals and communities, between the nation and the world.

“The biggest message from the War Remnants Museum is that peace does not come naturally, but is the result of will and sacrifice to protect independence and freedom. The museum needs to continue promoting its mission of peace education, while affirming the steadfast commitment of the Vietnamese State and people to domestic and global peace,” said Ms. Ton Nu Thi Ninh, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peace Committee and Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peace and Development Foundation.

Identify love with new trends

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the War Remnants Museum launched a brand identity with the message “Because love is victory”. According to the museum representative, branding provides a strategic framework to balance the mission of preservation and education with the need for commercialization, ensuring sustainable development. Moreover, a strong, consistent brand identity is a key tool to build trust, affirm the museum’s difference from other attractions, and promote deep connections with the public.

Veterans visit the War Remnants Museum on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day.

In addition, due to the nature of possessing a space densely displaying artifacts and documents about the brutality of war, creating a psychological environment that is safe, orderly, and conducive to contemplation is a vital requirement. The museum's symbology effectively addresses this requirement through the consistent application of the exclusive color code "Green for Peace" and a distinctive graphic language with minimalist, soft icons.

“The aesthetic unity creates a calm, organized visual field, in sharp contrast to the chaos and pain of the exhibition theme. It acts as a “psychological anchor,” helping visitors maintain a calm state of mind to receive and reflect on profound messages without being overwhelmed by negative emotions,” said Ms. Dinh Thi Ngoc Hang, Deputy Director of the museum. This change marks an important turning point: from an institution heavily burdened with post-war denunciation discourse, the War Remnants Museum has become an internationally influential peace education center.

Over the past half century, from a space to display war crimes, the War Remnants Museum has transformed into a “museum for peace” - a place where memories and love coexist, where past pain is transformed into future hope. With strong innovations in management thinking, branding and storytelling in the language of love, the museum not only preserves national memories but also spreads Vietnam’s profound humanistic message to international friends: peace is the aspiration and love is the eternal victory of humanity.

The War Remnants Museum was established on September 4, 1975. Since 1995, the museum has officially been named the War Remnants Museum. Since 1998, the museum has become a member of the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP). Since then, the museum's image has been closely associated with its humanitarian mission, becoming a symbol of reconciliation and culture in Ho Chi Minh City.

Since its establishment, the museum has welcomed an estimated 25 million visitors, with over 10,000 visitors a day, most of whom are international visitors. The museum currently holds over 20,000 documents, artifacts, and films, many of which are valuable artifacts donated by veterans, journalists, and international friends. In 2023, the War Remnants Museum entered the top 1% of the world's best destinations and was the only representative of Vietnam on this list. In 2024, the museum was awarded the Most Popular Destination by TripAdvisor (the world's largest travel website).

LIBRA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bao-tang-chung-tich-chien-tranh-khong-gian-doi-thoai-va-hoa-giai-post811922.html