War Remnants Museum celebrates 50th anniversary

On the morning of September 4, the War Remnants Museum (No. 28, Vo Van Tan Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) held a ceremony to celebrate its 50th anniversary (September 4, 1975 - September 4, 2025).

Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy presented the traditional flag of the City People's Committee to a representative of the War Remnants Museum. Photo: VAN HA

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; Dinh Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Head of Ho Chi Minh City Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department; Tran The Thuan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism;...

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

Over the past half century, the museum has welcomed more than 25 million visitors, with over 10,000 visitors a day, most of whom are international visitors, demonstrating its appeal beyond all language and cultural barriers. Currently, the museum holds more than 20,000 documents, artifacts, and films; many of which are valuable artifacts donated by veterans, journalists, and international friends.

Visitors to the "Southern Cuisine during the Resistance War" seminar

In 2024, the War Remnants Museum was awarded the "Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024" award by TripAdvisor, entering the top 1% of the best destinations globally and being the only representative of Vietnam on this list.

On the occasion of the anniversary, the museum opened a special exhibition called “Southern Cuisine during the Resistance War”. This not only introduces dishes, but also takes us back in time to gain a deeper understanding of the survival, resilience, creativity and solidarity of our army and people during the arduous yet heroic years of war.

Leaders, delegates and guests visiting the seminar

Southern folk cake artisans take souvenir photos at the exhibition space "Southern cuisine during the resistance war"

Half a century has passed, from a museum preserving memories of war, the War Remnants Museum has become a cultural symbol of peace in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. In a place that once recounted pain, messages of love, dialogue and sharing now resonate. On its new journey, the museum continues to affirm its role as a “bridge” between the past and the present, between Vietnam and friends around the world, so that memories of war are not only a lesson of awakening, but also a spiritual resource to cultivate peace for today and tomorrow.

Mr. Lam Ngo Hoang Anh, Deputy Director in charge of the War Remnants Museum, shared: “The museum is entering a new phase of development, with a strategic vision of becoming a Museum for Peace. We have determined the mission of transforming the heritage of memories into cultural soft power, an effective people-to-people diplomacy channel, fostering friendship between nations.”

To realize this vision, the museum focuses on two directions:

- Strengthen international cooperation, typically signing a cooperation agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to build an exhibition space about the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples in overcoming the consequences of war. This is a vivid symbol of the reconciliation process and the common aspiration for a peaceful world .

- Comprehensive digital transformation, from automatic ticketing systems, multilingual guides, to 3D artifact digitization and online tour platforms, helps bring heritage closer to the global public, ensuring that historical stories continue to live and spread in the digital age.

LIBRA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bao-tang-chung-tich-chien-tranh-ky-niem-50-nam-thanh-lap-post811588.html