Hoi An Museum: Uncover 2,000 Years of Ancient Town Secrets | Vietnam Purple Travel Guide

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To enter, you need to have purchased the Hoi An Ancient Town Ticket.

If you want to go beyond the lanterns, riverside cafés, and photogenic alleyways of Hội An Ancient Town, start your journey at the Hội An Museum of History and Culture.
If you are interested in Vietnamese history, cultural heritage, and archaeology, the museum offers rich insight into the layers of civilization that have shaped this iconic port city.

What Is the Hoi An Museum of History and Culture?

The Hội An Museum (also called the Museum of History and Culture) is a local history museum. It was established in 1989 and is housed in the Quan Âm Pagoda, a historic structure built in the 17th century dedicated to Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin or Avalokiteshvara).
Though small in size, the museum’s collection traces Hội An’s development through key eras, from its prehistoric roots and Champa civilization to its golden age as an international trading port and beyond.

What to See: Permanent Exhibits and Highlights

Artifacts from the Champa Civilization

• See stone sculptures, religious relics, and tools from the Champa Kingdom, which dominated central Vietnam before the rise of the Vietnamese empire.

• Discover the Hindu-Buddhist syncretism that influenced the spiritual life of early inhabitants.

Hội An’s Maritime Trade Legacy

• Learn how Hội An became a crucial node in the Maritime Silk Road, trading goods with Japan, China, India, the Middle East, and Europe from the 15th to 19th centuries.

• Explore ceramic fragments, shipwreck discoveries, and maritime maps that demonstrate the city's once-global reach.

Vietnamese Folk Culture and Daily Life

• Displays include household items, farming tools, traditional clothing, and ritual objects that offer a window into how ordinary people lived through different periods.

• Gain insight into ancestor worship, village life, and local festivals that remain central to Hoi An’s identity today.

Historic Photos and Documents

• Black-and-white photographs from the colonial period through the Vietnam War show how Hoi An weathered political upheavals and cultural change.

• See documents and letters written in Chữ Nôm and Hán script, the historic writing systems used before the adoption of Latin-based Vietnamese.

Visitor Information

• Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm daily

• Admission: Included in the Hoi An Ancient Town ticket

• Estimated Visit Duration: 30–45 minutes

Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the Viator tours below.

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Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel

Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.

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