Don't go to the museum just to take virtual photos.

In recent days, thousands of people have flocked to the Vietnam Military History Museum every day. On peak days, the museum welcomed more than 40,000 visitors. The sudden increase in visitors to the museum has surprised many people.

Many people come to the museum to learn, explore artifacts, study, research... But there have been some ugly and offensive behaviors from visitors. People jostle in the grounds. There are signs prohibiting people from touching or even climbing on artifacts. Not to mention they eat and drink noisily, litter everywhere. Many family groups even let their children climb tanks and cannons to pose for photos. After each opening, artifacts from the model tables, tanks to cannons... are full of shoe prints.

There are even cases where people even climb to the roof of the museum to take unique check-in photos. With those images, are we visiting a museum or experiencing an amusement park?

Looking straight at reality, these ugly images are not new, we can still see them somewhere when visiting museums or historical sites across the country. Decoding the phenomenon of many visitors to the Vietnam Military History Museum this time, I think that besides those who really come to learn and admire the "historical witnesses", the number of people who come to satisfy their curiosity, follow the trend, and catch the "hot" social network "trend" is not small. Not to mention the psychology of liking free, liking to "use for free"...

We need to rectify this situation immediately. Because historical relics or artifacts in museums need to be respected for their true value.

Observing the activities of museums in Vietnam today, I see that many museums are changing to attract more visitors. And answering the question from more than ten years ago: How to attract visitors to museums? I think the answer has gradually come, when most museums are changing. Museum workers are making efforts every day to innovate not only by communication but also by changing the content of the exhibitions, the way to interact, and enhancing the experience space for visitors...

I was very surprised when visiting the Bat Trang Ceramic Museum in Gia Lam (Hanoi) because of the smart way of doing things, knowing how to please visitors' psychology while also very skillfully conveying historical messages through exhibition booths, thematic booths expressed through the "past and present" ceramic space, learning about history through the light sculpture art "Lighting the lamp to see the history". There, the tour guide will give an overview of the history of the Vietnamese people, each dynasty introduces a prominent heroic figure, associated with the development of ceramics in each period. In addition, visitors who love to check-in can also experience beautiful spaces and have a quiet place to enjoy tea... It is so unique that even though they spend a lot of money compared to the ticket to visit a normal museum, visitors still feel it is worth it.

Or not far away, Hai Duong Museum has also changed in recent years. The museum has boldly organized many thematic activities, many breakthrough experience spaces such as recreating ceramic spaces; spaces to experience folk games... contributing to reviving historical and cultural events of the ancient Dong people, Hai Duong today, increasingly meeting the needs of sightseeing, research, and cultural enjoyment of the people in the province, especially students.

Museums have changed and visiting museums is the shortest way to learn about the history and culture of a land, a people or a country. So with the efforts of the museum staff, we - the people who enjoy it, need to receive it with a sense of appreciation, not passively or superficially, or just to check-in and live virtually.