Smash Travel Vietnam

Formerly occupying a cramped corner of the Imperial Citadel in central Hanoi, the Vietnam Military History Museum moved to Nam Từ Liêm towards the end of 2024.

The move meant abandoning a prime location in downtown Ba Đình District – mere steps from the Old Quarter – but also a substantial upgrade in the museum’s facilities. Financed by the Ministry of Defence, the new museum is reported to have cost 2.5 trillion VNĐ (just shy of $10 million USD) and it sits on a plot that spans almost 40 hectares.

This probably makes the Military History Museum not only the most expensive but also the biggest museum in the country. Though 15km from Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Old Quarter – around 30 minutes by taxi – the museum is well worth visiting, not just for the exhibits, but also for the architecture, which was designed by Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei.

The museum also provides a rare opportunity to observe how many Vietnamese people engage with their complex military history, from scores of school groups sporting matching hammer-and-sickle T-shirts to clusters of elderly war veterans dressed in army green.

Military history museum

• Open: 08:00-16:30 (closed Monday & Friday) | Ticket: 40,000VNĐ

• Address: Km6+500, CT03, Tây Mỗ, Nam Từ Liêm

The Vietnam Military History Museum, as the name implies, is a history museum of Vietnam understood through the lens of conflict. The museum doesn’t only cover the more recent Indochina Wars; it begins with the founding of Vietnam in 700BCE and spans all the way to the present day.

The museum has four permanent galleries divided by era (see Contents below), as well as an upstairs space for temporary exhibitions. Covering all four galleries in detail, plus exploring the forecourt, takes around four hours. To read and watch everything will take closer to six.

It’s possible to come and go on the same day with one ticket but, apart from a cafe outside the main entrance, there doesn’t seem to be anywhere good to eat nearby, therefore it’s best to bring a picnic. This guide is a breakdown of the different galleries with a few highlights to look out for. As the museum is so huge and it’s difficult to cover everything without succumbing to information overload, some visitors to Vietnam may wish to focus only on eras and areas that are of particular interest.

My suggestion to those living in Hanoi is to explore the museum over several visits. The museum has two websites (here and here) but neither are particularly user friendly or informative. Note that the museum is extremely popular, especially on weekends, so you’ll probably have to queue, perhaps up to 20 minutes.