Why is the Vietnam Military History Museum attractive to visitors?

On November 10, the Vietnam Military History Museum welcomed a record number of 40,000 visitors, nearly equal to the busiest day at the Louvre Museum in France in 2019, with 45,000 visitors.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, Head of the Propaganda and Education Department of the Vietnam Military History Museum, said that in previous winters, the museum welcomed 20,000 - 30,000 visitors.

"My grandfather wanted to relive his past," said Tran Ngoc Lan Huong, 20, who accompanied her grandfather from Ba Vi to the museum on Sunday.

Huong’s grandfather, 86, was a former youth volunteer. She said he was very excited and always reminded Huong’s father to take him. Many of his comrades and friends of the same age were also looking forward to visiting the museum. Some came on the first day the museum opened on November 1.

AZA Travel CEO Nguyen Tien Dat said there are many reasons why the museum attracts a large number of visitors. First of all, this is an alternative destination to the museum located on Dien Bien Phu Street, which is small and narrow.

When the Military History Museum is built on a large scale, welcoming more visitors and displaying more artifacts, it is "understandable" that tourists will flock to it.

The Vietnam Military History Museum was built in 2019 on an area of ​​386,000 m2 on Thang Long Avenue, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi. The main building has 4 floors above ground and one ground floor. It houses more than 150,000 artifacts and 4 national treasures along with many military equipment.

According to Mr. Dat, the history of building and defending the country is so heroic that the world "must take off their hats in admiration" and the topic of Vietnam's military is of interest to people across the country, many of whom are veterans, youth volunteers or people who have experienced the war.

In addition, the museum also attracts history enthusiasts.

The museum is large, with many outdoor spaces displaying vivid visual exhibits such as airplanes and tanks that appeal to children, so it is a priority destination for families on weekends.

Admission is free and the museum is heavily publicized, which is also part of the reason for its popularity.

"My 3-year-old son was very excited to see planes in real life," said Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, 30, living in Dong Da district.

CEO of AZA Travel assessed that the opening time also helped this place attract many visitors. In November, the weather is cool so people tend to like to go out more. If it opened in the summer, when the weather is hot, the number of visitors may not be as large.

Lua Viet Tourism Chairman Nguyen Van My also said that many people come "out of curiosity, love of new things" and "crowd effect". Some come to "take virtual photos" and "show off on social networks".

However, looking at it positively, Mr. My said that the number of visitors "like a festival" is a good thing in encouraging people to learn about history.

But the large number of visitors and some inappropriate actions can create some "ugly" impressions in the eyes of international visitors.

For better management, Mr. My said that the Military History Museum should limit the number of visitors per day like many other places in the world. The museum should require visitors to register online and send a QR code to control the number more conveniently.

Mr. Dat assessed that the attraction of the Vietnam Military History Museum will not "cool down" in the next 2-3 months. This place will also be an ideal destination for foreign tourists.

"The world is always impressed that Vietnam defeated the most powerful empires, they will visit the museum to learn about this," said Mr. Dat.

Tourism experts also believe that the museum will soon be included in the "must visit" list of international visitors to Vietnam as well as appear in the tour programs of travel companies.

"Next month, we will add this location to our tour schedule," said the CEO of AZA Travel.