Students excitedly listen to historical stories at Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum.
When history steps out of the books
There are lessons that do not require books or final exams. There are trips that are not just extracurricular activities, but journeys back to the roots, from which to grow. That is what Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum has been organizing with dedication, innovation and enthusiasm foreducating the young generation.
Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum currently preserves nearly 30,000 artifacts, including many rare antiques and 3 national treasures, namely the Cam Thuy bronze cauldron, the Nua mountain short sword and the Cam Giang bronze drum. The main display system is divided according to historical progress, combined with specialized rooms introducing the culture of the Muong and Thai ethnic groups, and the Thanh Hoa bronze drum, creating a comprehensive picture of the history and culture of Thanh Hoa.
Not only is the museum a place to preserve, it is also a living space for memories. Every year, tens of thousands of visitors come here, of which students account for 60 - 70%. They do not come to "listen to lectures" but to "feel", to witness the artifacts with their own eyes, to experience historical stories with all their senses.
Educational programs such as “Following the footsteps of prehistoric people - Journey from caves to the plains”, “Thanh Hoa rear with the Dien Bien Phu campaign”, “Dong Son culture and the story of bronze drums”... have truly become vivid and memorable lessons. The museum space is transformed into an open classroom, where each artifact is a teacher, each statue or picture is a story that touches the heart. Nguyen Hoang Manh Dung - a student of QTHSHOOL Primary, Secondary and High School (Thanh Hoa City) shared: “We are very excited to participate in activities at the museum. What I like most is seeing national treasures with my own eyes. I didn't think ancient artifacts were so sophisticated”.
Not only children, but also parents see the value of the learning model at the museum. Ms. Nguyen Mai Phuong in Dong Tho ward (Thanh Hoa city) shared: “I want to bring my children here every summer. Not only for fun but also as an emotional way of learning, helping children love their homeland more.”
Extracurricular lessons are carefully organized: From engaging explanations to interactive games, competitions to learn about history through artifacts... All contribute to helping students change their approach to History, from passively absorbing to actively exploring. More importantly, it is the emotion. When an artifact associated with a story about the courage, sacrifice, or creativity of our ancestors is seen with their own eyes and touched with their own hands, students will never forget it.
Linking education with heritage
It is no coincidence that many schools in the province have chosen the Provincial Museum as a familiar address in their extracurricular programs. Here, the history lesson does not begin with the sentence "Please open your books..." but with the suggestive question: "Do you know why bronze drums are important to ancient Vietnamese people?". This approach has changed the entire atmosphere of the lesson.
Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum - where history is learned through interaction.
Teacher Nguyen Thi Thom, a teacher at Hoang Quang Secondary School (Thanh Hoa City) shared: “When students are able to observe, take notes, and present about artifacts, their ability to absorb and remember will be much better. History education cannot only be in the classroom, but must be associated with real-life spaces such as museums.”
In response to that interest, the museum staff is constantly innovating and being creative in organizing activities. Head of the Exhibition and Propaganda Department of Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum, Duong Thi My Dung, said: “Every year we develop educational programs with specific content, related to the age and curriculum of students. In particular, children love to experience real life such as coloring artifacts, simulating the incense making profession or watching short historical films.”
Not only fixed lessons in the museum, many mobile programs have also been effectively implemented. The “museum to school” trips bring artifacts, documents, and images, helping to narrow the geographical distance and create opportunities for students in remote areas to access heritage. Through this, the love of history is “seeded” from the most familiar things.
Another highlight is the combination of technology and traditional exhibitions. In order to create appeal, in 2022 the museum applied virtual reality technology (VR3D), QR code lookup, electronic boards... to help viewers interact more actively and vividly. It is expected that in 2025, the unit will organize 4-5 thematic exhibitions specifically for young people and continue to promote digital transformation so that history does not become "old" in the eyes of the younger generation.
Director of Thanh Hoa Provincial Museum Trinh Dinh Duong emphasized: “We not only impart knowledge, but also hope to inspire. Each artifact is a slice of the past, a message left by our ancestors. The important thing is to help the younger generation receive it with their hearts, thereby having the awareness to preserve and protect it.”
In that quiet space, meetings with historical witnesses, cultural experts... have become valuable "spiritual food". When a story is told with a genuine voice, an emotional look, or an uncontrollable tear, students will feel that today's freedom is the result of many silent sacrifices.
Every visit, every story, every small artifact contributes to awakening the love for the homeland, sense of responsibility, and national pride in the children. In a place where there are seemingly only inanimate artifacts, the love for history and culture is being kindled every day. And it is you, the young people who are touching the heritage, who will be the arms that continue, preserve, and spread the eternal values of our ancestors.
Article and photos: Tran Hang
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dan-loi-ve-nguon-252279.htm
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