VIETNAM WOMEN'S MUSEUM
Vietnam Women's Museum. The Vietnamese Women's Museum honors the efforts and legacies of women throughout Vietnamese history. It is a must-see for those looking to better understand the S-shaped country and its female residents.
Vietnam Women's Museum Information:
Address: 30 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi City
Opening hours: 8:00 am - 11:30 am and 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Adults: 40,000 VND/ticket
Children/students: 10,000 VND/ticket
College students/members of Vietnamese Women's Union: 20,000 VND/ticket
The Vietnamese Women's Museum provides an enlightening glimpse into the lives and beauty of Vietnamese women from history to now. Whether you are interested in history, and culture, or simply searching for a really unforgettable experience during your trip to Hanoi, the Vietnamese Women's Museum is a terrific destination to visit.
The Vietnamese Women's Museum, located on a picturesque boulevard in Hanoi, allows visitors to learn about women's contributions to Vietnam's cultural and historical legacy. It displays important papers and artifacts that illustrate the experiences of women from around the country, emphasizing their significant contributions in the past, present, and future.
The History of the Vietnam Women's Museum:
The Vietnamese Women's Museum houses an extensive collection of artifacts, pictures, and exhibitions depicting the lives of Vietnamese women throughout history. The museum recognizes women's contributions to Vietnamese society, culture, and history, ranging from wartime struggles to modern-day obstacles.
The Vietnam Women's Museum (VWM) was founded in 1987 and is operated by the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU). The museum was founded by Madam Nguyen Thi Dinh, a former Deputy Chairwoman of the Council of State and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women's Union. The museum's foundation strives to conserve historical records and artifacts for future generations to learn from. This structure represents Madam Nguyen Thi Dinh's pledge to Vietnamese women across the country.
The VWM is conveniently located on Ly Thuong Kiet Street, close to Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. This is the oldest street in the capital city, featuring several French-style buildings.
VWM construction began in 1991 and was formally opened to the public in 1995. VWM reopened in late 2010, after four years of major expansions and restorations. VWM developed three major permanent exhibitions: Women in Family, Women in History, and Women's Fashion, as well as a temporary exhibition titled Worshipping Mother Goddess: Pure - Heart - Beauty.
VWM houses a broad collection of over 40,000 items and artifacts connected to Vietnamese women. In addition to permanent exhibits, VWM organizes numerous special thematic exhibitions using a new approach to social anthropology, reflecting the development and changes of contemporary society through projects aimed at a variety of groups, particularly vulnerable women and disadvantaged children.
VWM has recently experienced a time of creative development and innovation, earning plaudits from both Vietnamese and foreign tourists.
The Vietnamese Women's Museum is proud to have received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The site's reviews claim: "One of the best attractions in many consecutive years and in the top 25 most interesting by TripAdvisor - one of the most prestigious world tourist websites museums in Asia". The museum also got the "Vietnamese Women 2015" award and was named one of the best locations in Vietnam by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in 2015 and 2016.
A Brief History of the Vietnamese Women's Museum:
The Hanoi Women's Museum was established in 1987.
1995: The museum was formally opened to the public and called the Vietnamese Women's Museum.
2010: The museum was renovated, having a display system with three themes: women in the family, women in history, and women's fashion.
2015-2016: The museum was named one of Asia's top 25 most appealing museums, and it garnered accolades for "Top Tourist Attraction in Vietnam".
The Vietnamese Women's Museum houses around 40,000 materials and artifacts, as well as a permanent display, periodic special exhibitions, and an immersive audio guide that depicts Vietnamese women's lives in the past, during the war, and in modern culture. Since the 1970s, the museum and the Vietnam Women's Union have accumulated these objects. Nguyen Bich Van, a public relations professional, was also assigned to travel around Vietnam persuading families to give garments, photos, and other artifacts relating to female figures in Vietnam to provincial women's union organizations. From rice bowls to weapons, the museum's collection represents Vietnamese women's accomplishments and hardships, as well as their personal lives.
The four-storey edifice of the Vietnamese Women's Museum:
Vietnamese Women's Museum features two buildings, a restaurant, and a coffee area that covers almost 5,000 square meters. Inside the main structure, there are four storeys with distinct themes.
The souvenir store on the first floor of the Vietnamese Women's Museum sells a variety of things that represent the museum's distinctive qualities, such as postcards, pictures, books, and newspapers.
You may buy these things as a gift for your friends and family. The items supplied are acquired from reputable providers. There are various handcrafted goods available from economic development organizations for ethnic and underprivileged women.
The second level of the Vietnamese Women's Museum is dedicated to presenting objects linked with ethnic women's lives, from birth to marriage and parenthood. Visitors may learn about traditional Vietnamese weddings and engagement rituals from various time periods. The role of women in daily life is also emphasized.
This floor also has a dedicated display space for the worship of Mother Goddess. The western half features fascinating descriptions of spiritual figures' attire, temple gifts, and devotee performances.
The third level of the Vietnamese Women's Museum depicts heroic Vietnamese moms who survived the wars through a collection of documentary films, videos, and propaganda posters. This location demonstrates Vietnamese women's strength and commitment to the struggle against foreign invaders, as well as their unflinching support for the front lines.
The museum's fourth level displays all of the traditional garments of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. A woman's marital status can be determined based on her attire. You will also be impressed by Vietnamese women's traditional cosmetics, weaving, and silver and real-tooth jewelry manufacturing methods.
You may also learn about Vietnamese ao dai throughout history, as well as other traditional women's rituals like wrapping head scarves and blackening teeth.
What to visit in the Vietnam Women's Museum?
The women's experiences around the country are basic yet informative. Love, sacrifice, and quiet contributions shape the temperament, beauty, and value of Vietnamese women, as well as their critical roles in the past, present, and future. The museum has been collecting, protecting, and exposing these values and heritages to both domestic and foreign tourists, with the intention that everyone will love, respect, and be proud of Vietnamese women!
1. Permanent Exhibitions:
- Women in Family:
This exhibition depicts the "circle life" of Vietnamese women. They are adult girls who marry and begin their new lives as spouses and moms. Women's roles and positions in their families are centered on wedding rites in patrilineal and matrilineal societies. It also provides customs and rituals linked to childbearing, pregnancy, birth, and infant care; small business, farming, fishing, and foraging, food preparation, ceramics, sewing and weaving, and childrearing.
- Women in History:
This exhibit not only looks at the role and involvement of Vietnamese women in resistance fights against adversaries, but it also focuses on many elements of Vietnamese women's daily lives during the conflicts. The exhibit eloquently depicts Vietnamese women's tales, contributions, amazing exploits with weapons, and sacrifice. Short films depict how women in contemporary society show their selves via energy, passion, skill, and spirit, all based on traditional ideals.
- Women’s Fashion:
This show features a diverse range of fashion and costume art created utilizing traditional techniques from several of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. It also highlights the elegance of these ethnic women's fashion ascetics, which are adorned with diamonds, betels, and areca nuts by ancient ceremonies. Displaying a similar jewelry collection containing hairpin necklaces, earrings, bracelets, silver belts, and woven accessories allows you to immediately learn about the delight with which Vietnamese women exhibit their femininity and hundreds of years of family tradition.
2. Temporary Exhibitions:
VWM also conducts several unique topic exhibitions using a new approach to social anthropology, reflecting the evolution and changes of current society through programs aimed at a variety of groups, including vulnerable women and poor children.
Vietnam Women's Museum Highlights:
The Vietnamese Women's Museum aims to raise awareness of gender issues among the Vietnamese people. As a result, the museum has been undertaking research to uncover broad problems and issues surrounding gender (especially gender equality) in Vietnam. In doing so, it intended to validate Vietnamese women's roles and positions in society. Indeed, historical and cultural studies have underlined the significant contributions made by Vietnamese women to the country's growth since its inception. Surveys, studies, and field trips done across 64 provinces and cities in Vietnam found that public understanding of gender and women's concerns was low, especially in rural and isolated areas.
Women living in rural locations were often disinterested in attending meetings or visiting busy places. They were also apprehensive of being questioned by museum staff and were hesitant to offer their opinions about women's responsibilities and positions in the home. The museum authorities blamed this on their dread of public speaking, poor literacy rates, a lack of social connection, and discriminatory work distribution for women. Indeed, the findings of surveys and studies undertaken by museum authorities throughout the years demonstrated that Vietnamese women had little time for leisure and recreation or community involvement.
The majority of their time was spent on housekeeping and other tasks such as laboring in the fields, seeking food, raising animals, and doing second jobs to supplement their income. These limitations have hindered Vietnamese women's involvement and contribution to Vietnam's development, stifling their growth, advancement, and gender equality.
Furthermore, the museum attracted criticism because its displays were mostly focused on problems of previous history and the women's revolution, with little attention on Vietnamese women's daily lives and experiences (especially underprivileged sections of women). As a result, the museum organized a poll to obtain public comment on what makes the current exhibits less appealing, what the shows could contain more of, and how the museum might contribute to society by pushing for gender equality. Information obtained from research and studies has helped the museum to create relevant exhibitions, events, and activities to meet the needs of the community.
How to get to the Vietnam Women's Museum:
By personal vehicle: Take Hoan Kiem Lake and turn into Ba Trieu Street from the Old Quarter. To access the museum, turn left at the junction of Ly Thuong Kiet Street.
By bus: Take 09B, 08A, 31, 36, 45, or 49. They all make stops near the museum, a short walk away.
Tips for visiting the Vietnam Women's Museum:
Here are some helpful ideas for having the greatest experience visiting the Vietnamese Women's Museum:
Plan Your Visit: Check the museum's operating hours and buy tickets in advance to prevent excessive lines.
Become informed: Read up on the exhibitions ahead of time to have a better knowledge of the museum's contents.
Respect the displays. Please refrain from touching the displayed items.
Ask questions. If you have any queries, the museum staff can give further information and perspectives.
Consider a guided tour: Guided tours can help you understand and appreciate the exhibits and the museum's history.
With its extensive collection of items and displays, the Vietnamese Women's Museum provides an intriguing peek into the lives of Vietnamese women over the ages. Whether you are a native or a visitor to Hanoi, be sure to include the museum on your schedule for an unforgettable and enlightening experience.
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