Vietnam Military History Museum

The Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi (Vietnamese: Bảo tàng Lịch sử Quân sự Việt Nam). or Another name: Army Museum located in the central of Hanoi next to Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and Hanoi Flag Tower.

The Museum displays an extensive collection of weaponry that was used throughout Vietnam’s long resistant history. Visitors will follow the instructions in Vietnamese & English to follow the exhibitions of artefacts dating back to the Hong Bang Dynasty (2879 BC) till the recent Border war against Chinese invasion in 1979.

The 2-hour visit would provide you the good source of information about the powerful military of Vietnam and some simple philosophy to the freedom and independent nation in the eyes of local. The visit also includes videos about the formation of Viet Minh – the earlier name of modern Vietnam Military and the documentary of the most recent wars.

1. General information

Overview of Vietnam Military History Museum

Set up on 17 July 1956, the Vietnam Military History Museum, also known as the Army Museum, is one of seven national museums in Vietnam. It covers more than ten thousand square meters and situates in central Hanoi, opposite the Lenin Park and just few minutes of walks to some notable landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, as well as botanical gardens and the stilt house of Uncle Ho.

Inside the museum grounds stands the Flag Tower of Hanoi which was ranked as a national historical architectural monument in 1990 and also as one of the capital’s symbols.
The museum houses thousands of exhibits, photographs, maps, scale models of the past Vietnam war. Thanks to this, visitors will have a good general knowledge of the process of the birth, growth and victories of the Vietnamese people’s armed forces for the cause of peace, independence and freedom.

2. Layouts

The display system of Vietnam Military History Museum includes outdoor and indoor set up.

In the first floor of the museum, there have 3 rooms:

+ 1st room about the military from the Hung Kings period until Ngo Quyen defeated the Han army at the Bach Dang River in 938.
+ 2nd room in the middle has a statue of Ho Chi Minh President and the images in the first Indochina War in Vietnam (1858-1945).
+ 3rd room shows about the fight from the Ly to Nguyen dynasty.

Inside of Vietnam Military History Museum

Many artifacts of historical value are displayed here such as bike in Dien Bien Phu campaign, MiG19 and MiG21 aircraft, Sam 2 and Sam 3 missiles in the campaign against America, especially, the tanks entering the Palace.

The museum content covers the six following periods:

+ The history of the Vietnamese nation and the birth of the Vietnam People’s Army;
+ The Vietnamese struggle against French colonialism;
+ The Vietnamese struggle against American imperialists;
+ The Vietnam People’s Army on the path to a regular modern army;
+ The People and the Army are oneness, and will be invincible;
+ Piece of weaponry displayed in the museum courtyard (such as airplanes, tanks, heavy artilleries, rockets, mortars, bombs, and so forth)

After your time here, you will realize that the museum is the concentrated embodiment of the Vietnamese people’s spirit revealed in President Ho Chi Minh’s writing: “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom” in the historic Nation’s Independence Proclamation.

3. How to get there

According to the central location in Hanoi (Dien Bien Phu street, Ba Dinh district), it will be very easy for you to access this Museum, by public bus number 34 from Trang Tien street or by taxi and better with private car / van and experienced guide for best experience.

Available tours to the Vietnam Military History Museum can be found at any travel agency that offers Hanoi city tours or day tours in and around Hanoi. You can also combine your visit to nearby attractions of Ho Chi Minh complex; Hoang Thanh citadel; West Lake; Tran Quoc pagoda or Quan Thanh temple.

• Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh District Hanoi, Vietnam
• Opening hours: Every day except Monday & Friday
Morning: from 8.00 – 11.30
Afternoon: from 13.00– 16.30
• Entrance fee: 40,000VND / Visitor – Camera fee: 30,000VND / Visitor